youtube/watch?v =tgO8V6TdAKM

1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgO8V6TdAKM

2. Proxemics By Heather and Ivy

3. What is the study of proxemics? • “The interrelated observations and theories of man’s use of space as a specialized elaboration of culture” (Hall, 1966). • The amount of space that people feel comfortable with between themselves and others.

4. The Four Zones of Interpersonal Distance

5. Proxemics are influenced by • Gender • Females tend to interact from a closer distance than males • Age • Youths before adolescence interact more closely • Example: Working with children • get down to their level to talk seriously and intimately (ex to console a crying child) • Recognizing the change in interactional distance during adolescence. • teens are growing out of closer interactional distances and need more personal space and respect. • “They are particularly tuned into whether professional helpers are fundamentally accepting or more interested in molding them to conform to an adult image of success…the less accepting adult…is more inclined to be dismissive of youth dilemmas or perspectives” (Bein, 2008).

6. continued… • Culture • Contact vs. low contact cultures • Touch apologies • The "intimate" zone extends from one's face out to about 20 inches if you are from North America. However, if you come from Latin America or the Middle East, this distance shrinks down by about 8 to 10 inches.”(Preston) • Ask the client what is comfortable for them, show that you are mindful and care. be careful of stereotypes.

7. continued… • Relationship • We tend to maintain closer distances to family, and people that are like us, farther from strangers. Shows avoidance, trust, etc. • Power and Personality • Confident, dominant, controlled, extraverted people tend to interact more closely • Intimate, personal, social and public distances also reflect that area of a person’s like and personality. If someone has trouble with intimate and personal relationships they might have a hard time with people being within the intimate space zone.(Hall115)

9. Spacing • People tend to maximize the space between them as well as sit in the same place when they have the choice. • Example: Sitting in a circle instead of a line maximizes communication and facilitates harmony. Sociopetal space: facilitates effective social interaction. Sociofugal space: leads to ineffective social interaction. • There are patterns of acceptable behavior that take place in buses, classrooms, libraries, etc. • Optimal communication occurs when people follow the rules of proximity that everyone expects of one another.

10. Q: What would you do if your space was invaded? • step one: pretend not to be bothered or uncomfortable and look busy. • step two: create a barrier with your body, turn away, glare or covertly glance at the person. • step three: get up and flee as soon as possible.

11. Proxemics in the Field • Teaching a class • Awareness of reaching the entire class • “An environment in which the message of a pecking order is clearly communicated is not conducive to collaboration”(Preston). • Working with people of other cultures Fixed-feature space is a basic way of “organizing the activities of individuals and groups” (Hall pg103)  this can include large scale things like the layouts of cities and buildings and smaller things like an open or closed door or the arrangement of chairs in a room.

12. Applying knowledge of proxemics in the field demonstrates: • Respect to the client • Awareness and intentionality about body language • Mindfulness: because proxemics are ingrained and often subconscious. • Note what distance the client is comfortable with • Things to remember (Preston) 1.Observe and be aware of others' personal space. 2. Keep in mind that power is an outcome of all human interactions,- space alone can’t change power dynamics • “…invasion of personal space may result in the stress response of increased anxiety and tension. These behaviors affect the patient’s readiness to learn and participate in therapy activities and the rehabilitation nurse-patient relationship. ”(McLaughlin, Olson, & White, 2008)

13. “To effectively communicate spatially, people must first become aware of how proxemics work, understanding the messages they and others send not only through the way they enter or use space but also through their preferred meeting environment and office” (Preston). • Homeless, people with disabilities. • “In general, people with physical disabilities are allotted more personal space in interactions than those without. • Example: Blanket coverage, deaf/blindness, Rex and the power of music, control, interacting from a closer distance.

14. Wheatley • “We also slip into laziness about our habits and routines... Busyness is another form of laziness. As long as we’re working hard, we don’t have to exert any effort to notice whether our work is working, whether it’s leading anywhere good. We don’t have to pay attention to what’s happening, who’s affected, who’s reacting, what the unintended consequences are that clutter the path behind us” (Wheatley, 2010, p. 79). • Be aware of your body language, realize that it can leave a lasting impression with your client, be respectful of people and their personal space, gender, age, culture, etc.

15. Bein • “We may enter relationships with the clients with a framework...”starting where the client is” and an orientation toward empathetic relationship-building; …we are faced with moment-to-moment decisions regarding how much to focus versus how much to create space, how direct or passive to be, how self-revealing to be, how confrontative to be, how much to lean forward or how much to sit back... how much to let our compassion flow, or how much to remain poker-faced” (Bein, 2008, p. 128). • How do you become aware of small things? Be aware of the other’s body language and what that is saying about them.

16. References • Archer, D (Producer), & Silver, J (Director). (1999). Personal space: exploring human proxemics / Nonverbal workshop [videorecording]. Berkeley, CA: University of California Extension Center for Media and Independent Learning. • Bein, A. (2008). The zen of helping. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons. • Hall, E. T. (1966). The hidden dimension. New York, NY: Anchor Books • Lewis Clack, R. YouTube video watched in class. • McLaughlin, C., Olson, R., & White, M. J. (2008). Environmental issues in patient care management: Proxemics, personal space, and territoriality. Rehabilitation Nursing, 33(4), 143-147 • Preston, P., (2005). Proxemics in clinical and administrative settings. Journal of Healthcare Management, 50(3), 151-154. • Wheatley, M. J. (2010). Perseverance. San Francisco, CA: Berrett-Koehler. • Pictures from the internet.