Person Space Differences


 Personal Space Differences-5/24/22

Have you ever had someone come up to you and immediately you felt the need to step back because they were closer than you felt comfortable? This is due to the fact that we each have personal space distances that we are used to. For those of us who live in westernized countries, that space is larger than those in Asian countries. In America, for instance, we like about 18 inches between us and another person while talking, while in Japan, they prefer only 10 inches.

When people get too close to another person's space, you will start to see things occur. First, the person will try to take a step back. and avoid eye contact. If that doesn't work, that person may feel threatened, possibly thinking there is a sexual advance or a dangerous threat being made. That is why understanding a person's cultural space is so important. Those from more familiar or close space boundaries may get labeled as too familiar and intruding, while those with further space boundaries may be thought of as cold and unkind.

In the classroom or even in other settings, it is very important that we understand these cultural differences and not be frustrated or upset when others intrude on our space unintentionally or seem to be distant. We need to help our students understand what is culturally acceptable, so they do not get blamed for something that was not intended. This is important in every situation because America is a mixing pot, most people are bound to come across different boundaries than they are accustomed an it is good to know how to properly react. 

Comments

  1. iSABELMay 26, 2022 at 9:06 PM

    HI. I have a comment, you said culturally acceptable, but in the cross-cultural classroom are different cultures, and all of them are acceptable. I consider we need to help our students to respect the differences, and with the proper time, they can be friends and shorten the distances. We must teach how to respect personal space according to the circumstances.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Rocio RavelloMay 27, 2022 at 1:26 PM

    I liked your insights and I agree that we should help our students unserstand what is cullturally acceptable and respect their personal spatial and distance zone. Thus, create an environment of respect, confidence, and consideration.

    ReplyDelete
  3. AlexMay 27, 2022 at 7:57 PM

    I almost picked the same image, I feel that it gets the writing on track! I love how you shared about how we may feel frustrated or upset in the moment, but we cant let it get the best of us.

    ReplyDelete

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