68 WHAT EVERY BODY IS SAYING
The Territorial ImperativeWhen discussing leg splay and territorial claims, we must recognize the
work of Edward Hall, who studied the use of space in humans and other
animals. By studying what he termed the territorial imperative, he was
able to document our spatial needs, which he referred to as proxemics
(Hall, 1969). Hall found that the more advantaged we are socioeconomi-
cally or hierarchically, the more territory we demand. He also found that
people who tend to take up more space (territory) through their daily ac-
tivities also tend to be more self-assured, more confident, and of course
more likely to be of higher status. This phenomenon has been demon-
strated throughout human history and in most cultures. In fact, the con-
quistadores witnessed it when they arrived in the new world. Once here,
they saw the same territorial displays in the people native to the Americas
that they had seen in Queen Isabella’s court; to wit, royalty—in any coun-
try—can command and is afforded greater space (Diaz, 1988).
While CEOs, presidents, and high-status individuals can claim greater
space, for the rest of us, it is not so easy. All of us, however, are very protec-
tive of our personal space, regardless of its size. We don’t like it when peo-
ple stand too close. In his research, Edward Hall found that each of us has
a space requirement he called proxemics, that is both personal and cultural
in origin. When people violate that space, we have powerful limbic reac-
tions indicative of stress. Violations of personal space cause us to become
hypervigilant; our pulse races and we may become flushed (Knapp & Hall,
2002, 146–147). Just think about how you feel when someone gets too
close, whether in a crowded elevator or while you’re conducting a transac-
tion at an ATM machine. I mention these space issues so that the next time
someone stands too close or you violate someone’s space, you are aware of
the negative limbic arousal that will take place.
Feet /Leg Displays of High ComfortCareful observation of the legs and feet can help you determine how
comfortable you are around somebody else and vice versa. Leg crossing is