Body Language

When your personal space is unavoidably infiltrated, such as in a crowded

bus, and touching can’t be escaped, only shoulders and upper arms should

make contact. If the contact is any more intimate, people make an effort to

move apart, in spite of the crowded conditions.

Maintaining your personal space .....................................................

When strangers crowd in, you have to adjust your concept of how much

space you need to conserve around you. Country people may initially feel

quite uncomfortable in a large city. Where they’re used to living in open

spaces, they now find themselves confined within buildings. Crowded condi-

tions take over where once there was distance. They may feel more con-

strained. Their gestures become fewer, smaller, and tighter as they adjust to

their reduced space.

The next time you go to the doctor or hairdressers, observe where people sit.

Normally you find a row of chairs for waiting clients. The first client usually

sits at one end of the row. The next person to enter sits halfway down. Both

are at a comfortable distance from one another – neither too close to cause

discomfort nor too far away to appear standoffish. The next person sits at the

other end, and the fourth person sits between the middle and end position,

and so on until eventually someone is forced to sit next to another person.

When people queue in Britain they envelop themselves in an invisible space

bubble. People have their own bubble and on a good day they respect one

another’s space. Interestingly, crowded conditions, such as those found on

the rush hour bus, tube, or train, lead people to ignore one another.

According to psychologist Robert Sommer, in crowded conditions people

imagine that someone invading their personal space is inanimate. Therefore,

no need exists to relay any social signals. Individuals stand or sit still when

they’re ignoring their surroundings. The larger the crowd, the less the indi-

vidual body movement. People’s faces take on a blank and expressionless

look indicating that communication is not being sought. They avoid eye con-

tact by staring at the ceiling or the floor.

Seating Arrangements .................................................................................

Seating positions should never happen by chance. When planning a dinner

party or a special event, the hosts spend a great deal of energy deciding

Chapter 12: Territorial Rights and Regulations 203