Personal space is a special area around a person, the penetration into which other people can cause unpleasant emotions and a feeling of discomfort. To protect your personal space, you must know its boundaries in various situations and be able to defend your interests.
Instructions
Step 1
Each person has 5 zones of personal space, for some people they are slightly wider, for others - narrower. It depends on the personal qualities of each individual, as well as on his nationality - the northern peoples have a wider zone, and the southern ones narrower. Those. the personal area of a Spaniard may be intimate for a Swede.
Step 2
The hidden zone is the narrowest, up to 15 cm. This is the zone for the closest ones - children, parents, loved ones. The penetration of strangers into this zone causes a whole gamut of emotions - from fear to an outbreak of aggression.
Step 3
The intimate area is from 15 to 45 cm. Some friends and relatives are allowed into this space. An invasion of this zone is perceived as an enemy attack and causes strong negative emotions in a person.
Step 4
Personal zone - from 46 to 120 cm. It is permissible to approach well-known people at this distance - friends, acquaintances, colleagues, etc. If a person from this category enters an intimate area, he may expect a flash of indignation, if he moves away, the interlocutor will feel wounded.
Step 5
Social zone - from 1, 2 to 3, 6 m. This is a space for unfamiliar people - salespeople, consultants, postmen. When this category of people invades a personal or social zone, a person feels danger, strive to resort to the support of loved ones.
Step 6
The public area is a distance of 3, 6 m. This is the area of teachers, speakers, speaking in front of a large audience. When a stranger tries to get closer, the person in such a situation most often moves away.
Step 7
The main factor due to which penetration into someone else's personal space occurs is individual differences in the size of the zones. If two unfamiliar interlocutors, who should be in each other's social zone, have a large enough difference, one of them will feel an intrusion into his personal space.
Step 8
A polite detachment will help to avoid intrusion - a well-mannered person will understand the reason for your “withdrawal” and will treat it with understanding. For a less delicate individual, you can transparently hint that it is more convenient for you to communicate at least at arm's length. You can “hide” from the completely dull ones behind some object - a table, a chair, etc. The same technique helps to protect personal space in public transport - stand by the handrail and they will not be able to cuddle up to you.
Step 9
If you know that a person tends to violate the personal space of the interlocutors, be brief in communication with him. Some people invade the intimate zone of others in order to unbalance, confuse, provoke a conflict. It is better to avoid communication with such unceremonious personalities, but if this is impossible, self-hypnosis will help you. Learn to mentally create a cocoon around you, transparent but completely impenetrable. And use this skill in situations where someone is threatening your personal space.
