Communication distance in psychology - What does communication distance mean?

Personal zones in different cultures

In his research, Edward Hall, as befits a professional cultural scientist, paid great attention to intercultural differences and analyzed various cultures. In the course of studying the spatial perception of representatives of different nations, Hall identified several features that are worth paying attention to for anyone interested in the topic of proxemics in general and the topic of improving relationships with others in particular.

Here are some of Hall's observations:

representatives of Western culture focus not on the space between objects, but on the objects themselves; The Japanese are more receptive to in-between spaces, i.e. to the intervals between people and objects; North Americans and Europeans prefer to furnish rooms along the walls and separate them with baseboards and edgings; The Chinese and Japanese love sliding walls because

this allows them to use the same spaces for different purposes; Arabs, when touching their interlocutor, strive to express sympathy, while the Japanese perceive such gestures negatively; residents of many Arab countries, the Mediterranean and Latin America have smaller spatial bubble sizes than residents of Western Europe, Australia and North America; in Brazil it is quite common to talk in a personal and intimate area, which causes considerable discomfort, for example, to visiting Americans or Western Europeans; The social distance of Russians is less than that of Americans, but greater than that of Latin Americans.

National characteristics have a huge impact on people's communication, and they should always be taken into account. It is precisely because of ignorance of the intricacies of spatial perception that misunderstandings and conflicts can often occur between people.

The same Japanese person, who was touched by an Arab while expressing good attitude, will be discouraged by his “unceremoniousness,” and the Arab will perceive the Japanese’s distance as arrogance. A Russian or Brazilian can put an American in an awkward position by constantly closing the distance, because this is how he is used to communicating in his country, and an American will seem to a Russian or Brazilian to be a suspicious type who avoids people, but in the USA it is simply customary to be located at a greater distance from a communication partner .

There are many such examples, and they all indicate that we must respect other people’s spatial norms, because the same communication means can be perceived differently even by people in the same country, not to mention different cultures.

Proxemics can be a wonderful tool and means of communication, and by and large, anyone can easily acquire knowledge of spatial relationships. You just need to set a goal, communicate wisely and always remember that everyone deserves to be treated with respect.

We wish you good luck in improving your communication skills, and finally, we offer some communication tips from psychologist Evgeniy Zakharov.

Appearance

“They meet you by their clothes, they see you off by their mind.” Since childhood, we have become accustomed to the fact that the first meeting with a stranger is often decisive, sometimes forming further relationships for a long period of time. At the first meeting, our appearance is the only source of information from which a new acquaintance draws information about us. Our clothes, hairstyle, the condition of our face and hands, and the jewelry we wear can tell a lot about our social status, financial condition, possible work, and even sexual availability.

Neatness and neatness, ordinary or conservative clothing create the impression of a responsible person who adheres to generally accepted moral rules (which, when meeting in person, is often valued much more than having large funds in a bank account).

Proxemic means of communication

Space

acts as a special sign system and carries a semantic load.
The American scientist Edward Hall was one of the first to study the spatial structure of communication. He also coined the term “proxemics” (from the English proximity –
closeness). This is the distance that people keep when communicating (see Table 6).

Table 6 - Communication distances characteristic of North American culture

Allan Pease in his book “Body Language” writes that distances are the same for a person of average social level, regardless of where he lives: in North America, England or Australia.

The choice of distance depends on:

— relationships between people (people stand closer to those they sympathize with);

— individual characteristics of a person (for example, introverts do not tolerate too close a distance);

- cultural and national differences (for example, the Japanese have an intimate zone of 25 cm, while Americans have up to 50 cm; Americans believe that Asians are familiar and overly “pressure”; Asians believe that Americans are “cold and too official”);

— population density of people in the place where people grew up (for people who grew up in densely populated cities, their personal space is 46 cm, and people from rural areas and small regional towns can have a personal zone of up to 1.2 m. Violation of the optimal communication distance is perceived negatively .

Proxemic characteristics of communication include not only distance, but also the relative position of people in space (see Figure 4). It is also necessary to take into account the rotation of the body and the toe of the foot in the direction of the partner or away from him, which signals the direction of thoughts.

The creation of a psychological atmosphere during communication is significantly influenced not only by the location of the interlocutors at the table, but also by the shape of the tables themselves. A square or rectangular table, which is usually a work desk, should be used for business conversations, negotiations, and briefings. A round table should be used for a relaxed, informal atmosphere; he is good if you need to reach an agreement.

Figure 4 – Positions of the communicating parties and their significance for communication

Relationships between people take place not only in space, but also in time .

The way a person manages his or her time and that of others is an important social sign (e.g., being late, arriving early, time culture). Accuracy and punctuality of behavior indicate respect for the other person. If you make someone else wait, then you are declaring your right to control the situation.

Facial expressions as a means of communication.

Facial expressions, or facial expressions, are the most important aspect of nonverbal communication.

The importance of facial expressions is such that in its absence (for example, as a result of illness), communication is impossible. Why is the face so important? First of all, because it is the main channel for transmitting human emotions

Contraction of the facial muscles changes facial expression and signals a person’s condition. Emotional manifestations consist of spontaneous and voluntary facial reactions.

Emotions often have to be masked, that is, they have to demonstrate the opposite. For example, we often mask emotions such as jealousy or disappointment. Some people are better at controlling their facial expressions, others are worse. However, given the circumstances, we all have to manage our facial expressions quite often.

Despite the fact that each person is an experienced interpreter of the facial reactions of other people, his conclusions depend on many subjective reasons. Someone may not notice the obvious expression on their partner’s face for a long time, trying to protect themselves from hurtful information; another, on the contrary, sees only those signs that confirm his attitude and forecast regarding the situation. The third one notices only those emotions that are characteristic of himself, without perceiving what is alien to him.

Eye contact is also a substructure of kinesics, primarily performing the function of regulating conversation.

Eye contact can also indicate emotional relationships between partners. A long look can be a sign of falling in love. The fact is that direct eye contact can be compared to touch; it psychologically shortens the distance between people. Sometimes such a look may be inappropriate and cause anxiety, fear, or irritation in the person being looked at. Direct gaze “without consent” is often perceived as a threat, a desire for dominance. If you are looking at a person of the opposite sex, then a long look into the eyes can be understood as an intimate proposal.

The lack of direct gaze is also dangerous - a person, especially if he is in a dependent position, may have the impression that communicating with him is a burden, that he is not interesting.

How to protect yourself from crowding stress?

To reduce stress levels, psychologists recommend distancing yourself from an unpleasant situation. How to do it? It turns out that you don’t even need to work hard. The fact is that our psyche can independently switch us.

Each person has their own defensive reactions. Remember how we react when we see an unpleasant picture - we close our eyes and turn away. This will happen in a crowded subway car - we will want to close our eyes. If the sounds bother you, you will want to wear headphones. You can also take a closed pose (cross your arms and legs). In this state, a person almost does not perceive incoming information and is protected from external influences. And that means from stress.

Our psyche adapts to any stimuli and guides us itself. Perhaps you have noticed that when you find yourself in a crowded space, a hand with a phone or tablet (depending on what you are holding in your hand) involuntarily rises in front of your body. Thus, any object in your hand that you hold in front of you reduces the level of tension.

Listening to music and reading in crowded transport also help reduce the level of emotional stress.

Thus, to prevent crowding stress, you need:

1. Having a personal space where you can have privacy.
2. Self-regulation skills (ability to calm yourself, switch attention);
3. Time and opportunity to switch. If you feel that people have become annoying, then you should not go to a noisy event or to a large store, but take a walk alone, be with your thoughts and feelings. Or agree with your household so that, for example, once a week you will not be disturbed (for a day or several hours).

Spatial arrangement of interlocutors

Proxemics studies not only the distance at which interlocutors stand, but also the features of their orientation in space in relation to each other. Business training specialists know that the success of business negotiations largely depends on the atmosphere that reigns in the office. Therefore, they recommend that managers seat business partners in such a way that they are psychologically prepared for constructive communication.

Very often, during business or friendly communication, interlocutors sit at the table. Based on this, psychologists identify four types of positions that communication participants can occupy.

• Corner location. In this case, the interlocutors are placed diagonally, separated by the corner of the table. This is usually how friends, relatives and good friends communicate. In this position, the interlocutor is clearly visible, and you can freely observe his gestures and pantomimes. The corner of the table acts as a small dividing barrier, necessary to maintain the psychological comfort of the individual. In a corner location, there is no table division within the area.
• Business communication position. In this case, the interlocutors are located side by side, on one side of the table. This arrangement is usually occupied by people who do collaborative work. This position makes it very convenient to review documents together.
• Competitive-defensive position. In this case, the interlocutors sit opposite each other on opposite sides of the table. This position is taken by opponents, each of whom has their own view of the problem under discussion. It is this arrangement of partners that can often be seen in business negotiations. The interlocutors, who are in a competitive and defensive position, are separated by a table, and this does not contribute to creating an atmosphere of confidential, relaxed conversation. If partners want to find a solution to a problem that will suit both parties, it is advisable for them to take a different position, for example a corner position.
• Independent position. In this case, people are located on opposite sides of the table away from each other, and if they are sitting on a bench, they try to move away. This arrangement indicates that they are not interested in communicating with each other. You can see people sitting this way in a library reading room, in a cafe or on a park bench.

It is not without reason that the heads of many companies try to conduct business negotiations not at a rectangular table, but at a round table. A table without corners subconsciously sets partners up for a peaceful conversation. Interlocutors sitting at a round table feel in the same position, and therefore are more inclined to compromise.

To summarize, we can say that proxemics is a necessary and useful area of ​​psychology. By studying the features of spatial relationships between people, you can understand the character of any interlocutor or business partner and find an approach to him.

Vocal characteristics of the voice

There are several important sources from which an attentive person can learn about our real condition. One such source is the vocal characteristics of the voice.

You can quite accurately determine a person’s condition by how quickly and loudly he speaks. By the fast pace of speech or loud voice, you can notice the anger of the interlocutor, the desire to impress others or subjugate them to your will. Slow, quiet and sluggish speech is characteristic of a person in a state of boredom and sadness. A quiet voice can indicate shyness and a willingness to obey. A quiet and soft timbre is characteristic of the manifestation of warmth and affection.

Frequent changes in voice tone can make communication fun and enjoyable, while muttering in a monotone suggests that the other person is not interested in maintaining a conversation or indicates that he is simply bored with the conversation. This style of speech sometimes indicates that a person is experiencing depression.

Types of distances during communication

Edward Hall identified four types of distances that interlocutors maintain in the communication process: intimate, personal, social and public distance. Let's look at each of them in more detail.

intimate distance

A person maintains an intimate distance only when communicating with the closest people - family members, lovers. Close friends also often use intimate distance when communicating. It ranges from 15 to 50 cm. The closer the relationship between the interlocutors, the shorter their distance. For example, couples in love often strive to reduce their distance to a minimum.

Psychologists have noticed that the size of intimate distance varies among representatives of different countries. This is due to the peculiarities of the culture and traditions of each nation.

While in the intimate area, the interlocutors have the opportunity to touch each other. Insufficiently sociable people try to expand their intimate distance, especially when communicating with unfamiliar people. As a rule, they avoid crowds and public transport, where passengers are forced to literally hug each other.

Individuals prone to aggression unconsciously strive to increase their intimate distance. To do this, they can sit lounging on a chair, wave their arms during a conversation, and spread their legs wide apart. Penetration of another person into their intimate area often causes aggression and discontent.

People who like each other try to keep a close distance. If a person dislikes his interlocutor, he unconsciously strives to move further away from him. Loving spouses have a very short intimate distance. Married couples who are unhappy with their relationship, on the contrary, increase their intimate area.

Personal distance

The personal zone is used in friendly and business communication. Its distance ranges from 50 to 120 cm. Personal distance can also be divided into near and far. The near one is intended for communication with friends and relatives, and the far one is for colleagues and business partners.

National characteristics also influence the size of personal distance. For example, in Russia it is customary to be much closer to the interlocutor than in the USA. Americans prefer to communicate with each other at a greater distance, and Russians may perceive this state of affairs as disrespect or arrogance. Therefore, people who come to a foreign country often experience discomfort.

In addition to national characteristics, personal distance is also influenced by a person’s individual characteristics. For example, extroverts, optimists, sociable and self-confident people try to stay close to their interlocutor. But introverts, people who have a negative worldview, are unsure of themselves and suffer from complexes, on the contrary, strive to increase the distance between themselves and their interlocutor.

Age factors also influence personal distance. Children and older people like to be close, while young people and middle-aged people tend to sit further away from their interlocutor. This is explained by the degree of self-confidence and personal security.

Social distance

The distance intended for communication with unfamiliar and unfamiliar people, as well as business partners with whom you do not meet very often, is called social distance. Its size is 120–350 cm. It is at this distance that people who are unfamiliar with each other usually stay.

Social distance allows you to look away from your interlocutor if you don’t want to communicate with him, and thereby show him your disinterest in the subject of the conversation.

Public distance

This distance is intended for speaking in front of an audience. Its size ranges from 350 to 750 cm. It is at this distance that the person speaking in front of the group is usually located. In small rooms, the lecturer, speaker or artist is located at a closer distance to the audience, and in large halls - at a further distance. Public distance is not intended for dating, but only for performances.

Nonverbal means in business communication

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Introduction:

People can exchange different types of information at different levels of understanding. It is known that communication is not limited to oral or written messages. Emotions, partner manners, and gestures play an important role in this process. Psychologists have found that in the process of human interaction, from 60 to 80% of messages are carried out using non-verbal means of expression, and only 20-40% of information is transmitted using verbal means. These data force us to think about the importance of non-verbal communication for mutual understanding between people, to pay special attention to the meaning of human gestures and facial expressions, and to develop a desire to master the art of interpreting this special language in which we all speak without even realizing it.

The peculiarity of non-verbal language is that its manifestation is determined by the impulses of our subconscious, and the lack of the ability to imitate these impulses allows us to trust this language more than the usual channel of verbal communication.

The success of any business contact largely depends on the ability to establish trusting contact with the interlocutor, and such contact depends not so much on what you say, but on how you behave. That is why special attention should be paid to the manner, posture and facial expression of the interlocutor, as well as the way he gestures.

Understanding the language of facial expressions and gestures allows you to more accurately determine the position of your interlocutor. By reading gestures, you provide feedback that plays a crucial role in the entire process of business interaction, and the combination of gestures is an important component of such communication. You will be able to understand how what you say is welcomed - with approval or hostility, the interlocutor is open or withdrawn, busy with self-control or bored,

Knowing body language and body movements allows you not only to better understand your interlocutor, but also (more importantly) to anticipate the impression that what he heard made on him before speaking on the matter.

In other words, such wordless language can alert you to whether you should change your behavior or do something else to achieve a desired outcome.

It should be noted that human nonverbal behavior is multifunctional.

Nonverbal behavior:

• Creates an image of a communication partner;
• Expresses the quality and change in the communication relationships of partners, forms these relationships;
• It is an indicator of the current mental states of the individual;
• Acts in the role of clarification, changing the understanding of the verbal message, enhance the emotional richness of what is said;
• Maintains an optimal level of psychological intimacy between communicators;
• Acts as an indicator of status-role relationships.

Significant emotional states can be simulated using nonverbal communication

Nonverbal means in business communication

The effectiveness of business interaction is determined not only by how understandable the words of the interlocutor are, but also by the ability to correctly interpret visual information, that is, facial expressions or gestures of a partner. It is “reading” the nonverbal, expressive repertoire of the interlocutor that contributes to achieving interaction.

Nonverbal means of communication.

Means of nonverbal communication include, first of all, the following:

1. Skin contact. This is expressed in various forms - pushing, patting, stroking.
2. Distance between communicators. The distance between business partners speaks about their attitude towards each other and the degree of interest in the conversation.
3. Orientation, that is, the position of sitting or standing partners in relation to each other. Orientation may vary depending on the degree of cooperation or competition.
4. Appearance. The main goal is to tell about yourself. Through the image, a business partner informs others about his social status, type of activity, and self-esteem.
5. Body posture. The posture usually indicates interpersonal relationships. The posture may vary depending on the emotional state of the person.
6. Nod of the head - used to approve or confirm something, and also gives a signal to the partner to enter into a dialogue.
7. Facial expression (facial expressions) - allows you to show or hide emotions, helps to perceive information transmitted through speech.
8. Gestures are used in combination with speech, thereby emphasizing it.
9. Sight - allows you to read various signals. Eye expression is closely related to business communication.
10. Paraverbal and extraverbal signals. The meaning of a statement may differ from the intonation, timbre, or statement used. Shades of speech influence the meaning of the statement, signal emotions, the state of a person and his interests.

Body language is one of the varieties of “parallel” language accompanied by human speech.

The fact that a person can remain silent, but cannot fully control his body movements, provides a business partner who can "read" non-verbal information with a huge "tool" that allows him to adapt and change his communication tactics according to the reaction (movements). ) interlocutor depend:

• Its gender, anatomical features and type;
• Degree of introversion or extraverbal character;
• Psychological, physical and spiritual needs;
• The degree of his mobility;
• Places for negotiations, negotiations, press conferences, etc.

Paralinguistic features of nonverbal communication

In business interactions, “rhetorical devices” are often used. emotional pathogens. They are the ones who evoke emotions and experiences in the partner. For business people, it is very important to evoke in the interlocutor not only emotions, but precisely those with the help of which a certain result can be achieved. To achieve a positive result, it is necessary to take into account the enemy’s psychotype, his leading sensory channel.

A win-win in business interaction is the energy of speech: its expression and tonal variation. Interlocutors like it when a partner does not fuss, but mints phrases, without hiding his positions on the subject of conversation, emphasizing with his entire appearance the confidence of his statements. It is the correct pronunciation of words and mannerisms that encourage your partner to approach you and create a situation of trust.

The famous artist I. Ilyinsky wrote in his book “About Myself”: “... the intonations of the human voice are especially colorful, varied, deep and heartfelt when they are pronounced in a natural, non-coercive voice, and when they are pronounced in this way, they penetrate especially deeply into the soul listener, carrying the necessary thought."

By intonation we mean all phenomena, sound means of sound that are associated with the voice and do not require our attention to be focused on the content of what is said.

Speech is based on the use of the mechanism of association. They represent the ability of the intellect to reconstruct past information relative to that which is currently accepted by the person. The effect is achieved due to the fact that the speaker creates a field for business interaction, thanks to which the interlocutor more easily participates and understands the partner.

The following characteristics of the human voice are distinguished:

Speech speed:

• A fast pace of speech indicates the interlocutor’s impulsiveness and self-confidence;
• a calm, unhurried manner indicates equanimity, prudence, and solidity;
• Fluctuations in speech speed indicate imbalance and uncertainty.

Volume:

• Large volume, as a rule, is inherent in the true strength of motives, or self-confidence and complacency;
• Low volume indicates restraint, modesty, lack of vitality, and weakness of a person;
• Large changes in volume indicate that the speaker is agitated.

Articulation:

• Clear and correct pronunciation of words indicates inner discipline;
• The need for clarity is a lack of vividness;
• Vague pronunciation indicates compliance, unreliability, softness and lethargy of will.

Voice feed:

• Falsetto is characteristic of a person whose thinking and speech are largely based on the intellect;
• Chest - thinking and speaking are accompanied by increased emotionality;
• A high, shrill voice is a sign of fear and excitement;
• Low tone of voice - relaxation, peace and dignity.

Mode or course of speech:

• Rhythmic speech - richness of feelings, balance, as a rule, a good basic mood.
• Strictly cyclical, correct speech - strong awareness of what is being experienced, willpower, discipline.

Zones and distance in business communication

Distance is the distance that one person maintains relative to another, as well as sudden movements to change the distance, such as a sudden step back.

As you know, we do not allow every person close to us to enter. Our space is divided into four spheres: intimate, personal, social, public.

Intimate area.

In English, the intimate area is called "buble", which means "bubble". Inside our bubble, we honor ourselves as safe. We keep the people we allow near the edge of our intimate area at a distance. Believe me, what exactly gives a pass to people close to us, and in other cases we protect ourselves from other people with the help of a “shell”.

In business interactions, it is not customary to invade someone else’s intimate area, so many people find it difficult to put up with situations when someone comes closer than at arm’s length (the boundary of intimate space). A person himself wants to determine who he wants to see in his intimate area. Thus, someone who invades the intimate area of ​​another person shows disrespect for the partner, thereby causing a feeling of disgust.

The size of the intimate area at any given moment depends on external and internal circumstances, namely:

• about the status of the person with whom business communication takes place;
• on your own mood at the moment (or feeling of security).

The inability to determine the value of the required distance in relation to the client is most evident among service workers. Violation of the intimate zone is typical for some managers.

A person's position in a particular company can be judged by certain indicators. For example, the larger the table, the higher the status of its owner. But the larger the table, the greater the distance between business partners.

Learning to recognize remote signals will help you determine who the key people are in business negotiations. Observe who is given more space by others - this is the person who makes the main decisions.

Close range zones vary in distance depending on the specific cultural environment:

• In Western Europe they are 60 cm.
• In Eastern Europe 45 cm.
• In Mediterranean countries this is the distance from the tip of the finger to the elbow.

Violation of the boundaries of the territory, especially the intimate space of a business person, is accompanied by signals from the body, namely:

1. restless agitation, signaling a desire to leave;
2. throw one leg over the other, away from the invader - turn to the side and prepare for flight;
3. finger tapping (internal alarm);
4. leaning on your hands with the intention of standing up, which signals a desire to get up and leave;
5. closing your eyes: “I don’t want to see you coming so close to me”;
6. lowering the chin to the chest: “I submit, yes, I’m scared and protecting my neck, leave me alone.”
7. grasping objects, especially pencils, which in most cases turn the pointed end towards the “occupier”.

Personal Area. This zone is leveled from 45 to 120 cm. Normal business interactions and communication processes should take place in this space. It is from this zone that a sudden invasion of the intimate zone occurs, the transition is smooth.

Personal or non-personal distance is characteristic of such forms of business interaction as business negotiations or a friendly meeting, receiving visitors and consultations.

Let's take Nietzsche's example: porcupines squeeze together to stay warm, but at the same time they are pressed so tightly together that they get pricked by quills. Thus, in order to develop a manner of behavior from the point of view of personal distance, one must strive for intimacy in order not to “freeze” and avoid any intimacy that could “harm.”

Speaking about business interaction, this rule can be formulated as follows: if we suddenly find ourselves pressed against others, then we are forced to communicate with them. However, this rule applies differently to each culture. For example, the Japanese suffer from crushing much less than other peoples. And for residents of Western Europe and North America, the listed rules are mandatory. Business partners in such situations should avoid looking closely, try to freeze and not talk to each other unless necessary. Russian businessmen must follow these rules.

Social sphere. Social zone is the distance we keep from people we don't know very well or at all, and when interacting with a small group of people. It is usually customary to use this distance for a group meeting of business people.

In business interaction, such communication is carried out at a distance of 1.2 - 3.5 m. The social zone borders on the personal zone, it is intended, as a rule, for business contacts. It is very important that partners record body signals that indicate approaching the “acceptable” boundary. After all, a negative reaction and psychological discomfort when distance is violated occur unconsciously.

Anyone who works in the field of customer relations should remember this.

The social zone allows business partners not only to hear each other, but also to see each other; as a rule, the gaze should be directed towards the face and hands. Because the palms of a person are designed to cover the face, and with this interaction (palms and face), the person appears to be hiding something.

The number of such gestures increases when one of the participants in a business interaction is lying. The most commonly used gestures are those of liars, but such gestures can be easily “counted”: stroking the chin, covering the mouth, touching the nose, rubbing the cheek, stretching the earlobe, etc. These gestures mean either self-punishment or calming down.

Much information in business interactions can be obtained by observing hand and nose movements. Movements such as touching your nose are made by people who are insecure. States of thoughtfulness and passivity may be associated with such movements.

All these connections are clearly visible only from a distance, therefore, once in a social communication zone, it is advisable to control yourself as best as possible and carefully observe your partners in collective interaction.

Public area (communication area). The public area is the preferred distance when interacting with a large group of people, with a mass audience. The public area starts at 3.5 m, and the greater the distance to the audience, the more important the use of audiovisual aids. This is necessary so that the audience can not only hear the words, but also “read” the nonverbal information told about the degree of their sincerity or deception.

This zone is usually called open. The size of this area is not limited.

Thus, in business interaction, an important element of etiquette is respect for boundaries and areas of interaction; Violation of this rule is fraught with the most serious consequences.

The use of communication zones, greater or less freedom of action in them, very clearly characterize business partners.

Imagine yourself as five managers who don't know each other. They all gathered in one hotel because they were all invited as participants in the seminar. They don't know that they are members of the same group. And now they are waiting for the elevator from the breakfast room. They silently walk back and forth like five penguins, keeping as much distance from each other as possible, and watch with fascination the flashing lights of the elevator descending towards them. The elevator doors open, they enter without touching each other, and in the same way they are located along the car, so that everyone can, if possible, protect their intimate area. They stand straight as sticks and wait for the elevator to reach the designated floor. Finally the elevator doors open and they leave. After leaving the elevator car, managers read the information on the notice board, which makes it clear to everyone that they need to go further to another room, say, room 221, and they move forward, maintaining the same distance. They enter the workshop room and look for their seats. They identify them, they finally look at each other and note that they are already somewhat familiar, then bow slightly to their unwitting companions before their eyes continue to wander around the audience, deeming the other participants to be "completely foreign" to them.

An interesting fact is that as soon as people enter someone else’s territory, they immediately “capture” their place, and after a break everyone focuses on it, it becomes, as it were, part of their intimate zone.

Knowledge of such facts allows business people, on the one hand, to comply with the “rules of the game”, and on the other hand, to use the spatial characteristics of the transformation of interaction scenarios.

International features of nonverbal communication

It is interesting that in each country, along with generally accepted, widespread gestures, there are non-verbal means of communication that are embedded in the culture and interpreted in their own way. This is especially important to consider when preparing business negotiations with clients from other countries.

Often, the same gesture in different countries can have not only different, but even directly opposite meanings.

So, if in Holland you turn your index finger to your temple, implying some kind of stupidity, you yourself may end up in a stupid position. Because in Holland this gesture means that someone has said a very witty phrase.

When talking about himself, a European points his hand to his chest, while a Japanese points to his nose.

Residents of Malta, instead of saying “no,” lightly touch their chin with their fingertips, turning the brush forward. In France and Italy, this gesture means that the person is in pain.

In Greece and Turkey, a waiter should never hold up two fingers to indicate two types of coffee or two servings of anything - this is a cruel insult, similar to spitting in the face.

By forming a ring of thumb and index finger, Americans and representatives of many other nations tell us that everything is fine with them - “good”. But the same gesture is used in Japan when it comes to money, in France it means zero, in Greece and Sardinia it is a sign of good will, and in Malta it is characterized by a person with perverted sexual instincts.

The usual affirmative nod of the head in southern Yugoslavia is a sign of denial.

Germans often raise their eyebrows in admiration of someone's idea. But the same will be regarded in England as an expression of skepticism.

A Frenchman or an Italian, if he considers an idea stupid, expressively hits him on the head. The German slaps his forehead with his palm, as if to say: “You’re crazy.” And a Briton or Spaniard with the same gesture shows how pleased he is with himself. If a Dutchman taps his forehead and extends his index finger upward, it means that he has appreciated your intelligence. A finger to the side indicates that the person he is currently talking to is “not right in the head.”

The most expressive sign language among the French. When a Frenchman is delighted with something, he connects the tips of three fingers, brings them to his lips and, raising his chin high, gently kisses the air. If he rubs the base of his nose with his index finger, this means that he is warning: “Something is dirty here,” “Careful,” “These people cannot be trusted.”

An Italian tapping his nose with his index finger means: “Careful, there’s danger ahead, they’re up to something.” But the same gesture in Holland means: “I’m drunk” or “You’re drunk,” and in England it means a conspiracy and a secret.

Swiping your finger from side to side in the United States, Italy can mean mild condemnation, a threat, or a call to listen to what is being said. In Holland, this gesture means refusal. And if it is necessary to accompany the reprimand with a gesture, then the index finger is moved from side to side near the head.

In communication, we do not attach much importance to the left or right hand. But be careful in the Middle East: don't try to lend money or gifts to anyone with your left hand. This can offend your interlocutor.

In general, in any culture, gestures of insincerity are associated, as a rule, with the left hand, since the right hand is “cultivated”, it does what it needs, and the left does what it wants, betraying the secret feelings of the owner. Therefore, if in a conversation the interlocutor gestures with his left hand, without being left-handed, there is a high probability that he is not saying what he thinks, or is simply negative about what is happening.

Sometimes even a small change in a gesture can completely change its meaning. This happened in England with the gesture of two fingers, index and middle, raised up. If at the same time the palm is turned towards the interlocutor, this is a terrible insult, and if the palm is turned towards oneself, then this is the first letter of the word “Victory” (“Victory”).

People of different cultures have different ideas about the optimal distances between interlocutors. Thus, Germans usually conduct a conversation standing at a distance of no closer than 60 centimeters from each other. Unlike Arabs, for whom this is too great a distance for communication.

Watching a conversation between strangers, for example, an Arab and a German, you can see how the first constantly strives to get closer to the interlocutor, while the second takes a step back, increasing the distance for communication. And if you ask a German what impression an Arab makes on him, he will most likely notice that he is too persistent and demands the establishment of close relationships. And the Arab will probably characterize his interlocutor as an arrogant and arrogant person. And both are thus mistaken in their opinion, since during the conversation each of them unwittingly violates the acceptable distance for communication.

The same goes for the perception of space. For example, Americans are used to working in large rooms with open doors. An open office, in their opinion, means that the person is there and has nothing to hide. It is no coincidence that skyscrapers in New York are built entirely of glass and are visible through everything: from the director of the company to the messenger - always in plain sight. And this creates a very specific pattern of behavior among employees, causing the feeling that “everyone is doing one common thing together.”

For Germans, such a workroom will only cause bewilderment. German traditional forms of organizing workspace are fundamentally different. Each room should be equipped with secure (often double) doors. And a wide open door symbolizes extreme disorder.

For an American, refusing to talk to a person in the same room means an extreme degree of negative attitude towards him. In England this is a generally accepted rule.

A person’s clothing (its color and style) can be one of the ways of non-verbal communication, as it conveys information about the level of well-being, status and mood of its owner. Thus, a person in red is able to give the impression of a strong, active and impulsive personality, a leader and a fighter in life. In yellow - a sociable, intelligent and ready to change person. In green - a reasonable professional with an inexhaustible supply of energy and will. In blue - a wise politician who can solve the problem before him. In purple - a person with good intuition and a creative approach.

Sign language is not universal!

When you don’t know words in a foreign language, it’s tempting to explain yourself using gestures, literally “on your fingers.” But you should remember that not all gestures will be understood by your foreign partners, since they are not universal.

In different countries, the same gestures can have completely different meanings. Professional sign language researcher Alan Pease believes that when traveling to different countries, you need to follow the rule: “They don’t go to someone else’s monastery with their own rules.”

It is clear that the basic communication gestures of different peoples are the same. But just as spoken language depends on the type of culture, the sign language of nations sometimes differs from each other. Although a certain gesture may be universally recognized in one nation, it means nothing or has a completely opposite meaning in another. Let's look at the differences in interpretation of these three typical gestures: the finger ring, the thumbs up, and the V-finger gesture.

Okay, or a ring with two fingers.

The gesture was popularized in America in the early 19th century, mainly by the press, which at the time began a campaign to shorten words and common phrases to their initial letters. Opinions vary as to what the abbreviation "OK" means.

Some people think they meant "all correct" but then, as a result of a spelling error, they became "All-Correct".

Others say it's the opposite of knockout, which is normal in English.

There is another theory that it is an acronym for "all the orphanages", the birthplace of the American president, who used these initials (O.K.) as a slogan in the election campaign.

Which of these theories is true we will never know, but the circle itself appears to represent the letter "o" in the word "ok".

The meaning of the word "O.K." Well known in all English-speaking countries, as well as in Europe and Asia, in some countries this gesture has a completely different origin and meaning.

For example, in France it means "zero" or "nothing", in Japan it means "money", and in some countries of the Mediterranean basin (Greece, Morocco, Tunisia, Cyprus) it is used to refer to gays.

In America, England, Australia and New Zealand, thumbs up has three meanings. Usually this gesture is used when “voting” on the road, when trying to catch a passing car. The second meaning is "everything is fine", and when the thumb is raised sharply, it becomes an offensive sign, meaning an obscene curse word, as in "fuck ...".

In some countries, such as Greece, this gesture means “shut up,” so you can imagine the situation of an American trying to flag down a passing car on a Greek road this way!

When Italians count from one to five, this gesture represents the number "1" and the index finger represents "2". If Americans and British count, the index finger means "1" and the middle finger means "2"; in this case, the thumb represents the number "5".

The thumbs up, in combination with other gestures, is also used as a symbol of strength and dominance, and in situations where someone wants to crush you with their finger.

This sign is very popular in the UK and Australia and has an offensive interpretation here. During World War II, Winston Churchill popularized the "V" sign for victory, but with his back to the speaker. If the hand is turned with the palm towards the speaker, then the gesture takes on an offensive meaning - “shut up.”

However, in most European countries the V-gesture means "victory", so if an Englishman wanted to use it to tell a European to shut up, he would be confused as to what kind of victory he meant. In many countries this gesture also means the number "2".

The above examples show what misunderstandings can lead to incorrect interpretation of gestures, which does not take into account the national characteristics of the speaker. Therefore, before drawing any conclusions about the meaning of gestures and body language, it is necessary to consider the nationality of the person.

Conclusion:

During communication, we listen not only to oral information, but also look into each other’s eyes, perceive the timbre of the voice, intonation, facial expressions and gestures. Words convey logical information to us, and gestures, facial expressions, and voice complement this information.

Nonverbal communication - communication without words often occurs unconsciously. It can either complement and strengthen verbal communication, or contradict and weaken it. Although nonverbal communication is often an unconscious process, it is now well understood and can be successfully controlled to achieve the desired effect.

Nonverbal communication is the oldest and most basic form of communication. Our ancestors communicated with each other using body tilt, facial expression, voice timbre and intonation, breathing rate and gaze. Even now we often understand each other without words.

An adequate perception of a partner allows you to react more flexibly to changes in the communication situation, understand his true goals and intentions, and predict the possible consequences of the transmitted information. These qualities become indispensable for those whose professional activities are connected with people.

Public area

Public communication is the type of communication in which one person interacts with a group. A comfortable distance in this case is 4-8 meters. It allows you to convey verbal and a significant part of non-verbal information to listeners without using aids such as microphones, loudspeakers and television screens.

Features of personal zones in different cultures

It is interesting that different nations have different sizes of personal and intimate zones, and this discrepancy can cause a completely unpredictable reaction. For example, the distance between interlocutors, which for a resident of Brazil would be in the personal zone and comfortable, will become unacceptable for an American. Because for an American, such a distance is no longer personal, but intimate territory, and he will react negatively to the invasion. During the dialogue, the Brazilian will try to close the distance, and the American will constantly retreat. As a result, both will remain dissatisfied with each other - the American will consider the Brazilian annoying and tactless, and the Brazilian will consider the American arrogant and cold.

In addition to the distance itself, accepted as the norm in different cultures, there are other points that can have a huge impact on the course of communication between their representatives. The same means of communication can have completely different meanings in different cultures. For example, consider the Arabs and Japanese. Despite the fact that the size of personal space in both cultures is almost the same, they have completely different attitudes towards touch. In Japanese culture, touching is not accepted. For Arabs, on the contrary, touch is a means of expressing sympathy. If one interlocutor avoids touching another, this can be interpreted as disrespect or even contempt. Therefore, a dialogue between a Japanese and an Arab will most likely leave a very painful impression on both - the Japanese will silently suffer from the “rudeness” of the Arab, and the Arab from the “arrogant contempt” of the Japanese.

In addition to distance, proxemic interactions also include how people mutually orient themselves.

It is very important where a person’s body is turned during communication. If people are facing each other (in dialogue) or everyone is facing the imaginary center of the group (when several people form a circle), then they form a closed figure

A closed figure is a nonverbal signal to others that external interference in the conversation is undesirable at the moment. When a new participant tries to join a conversation taking place in a closed figure, two scenarios are possible.

1. The first option is to turn the body towards the newcomer, the figure opens and includes a new participant, after which it closes again. In this option, the new participant fully joins the conversation.
2. In the second case, only heads are turned towards the person who wants to join the conversation, and the figure remains closed. In fact, this is a nonverbal signal indicating the extreme undesirability of interfering in the current conversation.

It also happens that during a conversation in a group of three people, after a while two of them form a closed figure, excluding the third from communication. Proxemics in this case is used as a means of nonverbal pressure. In this case, it is best for the person who has been excluded from communication to leave without waiting for the awkwardness to escalate.

In addition to switching off, the opposite option is also possible - involving a person who, for some reason, is silent, into a conversation. This technique is performed using visual contact. When communicating with one of the interlocutors, the gaze is briefly transferred to the second and back. This creates the illusion that all three people are participating in the conversation. This tool is especially useful for unobtrusively involving a shy, timid person in a conversation. An insecure person who doesn’t know how to connect to a conversation will definitely feel gratitude to the person who non-verbally connected him to the conversation.

A good knowledge of proxemics can significantly improve the effectiveness of communication. Understanding the mechanisms by which people subconsciously evaluate their interlocutor allows you to avoid annoying mistakes and blunders caused by a lack of information, as well as incorrect decoding of non-verbal signals.

Social and community distancing

Despite the importance of the personal and intimate zone, their study is not the basis that proxemics studies. This is due to the relative one-sidedness of the distances presented above

They are easy to understand, and even easier to identify patterns. More interesting are the social and public areas. They are used in the process of business and public communication. Over the years, people have studied these two distances to find an effective way to control the masses. People who have excellent control over public and social distances are always good speakers.

Introduction

Business relationships are a complex, multifaceted process of developing contacts between people in the professional sphere. Its participants act in official capacities and are focused on achieving goals and specific tasks. A specific feature of this process is regulation, i.e. subordination to established restrictions that are determined by national and cultural traditions and professional ethical principles. A prerequisite in the process of business relations is communication between people at a certain distance; I will consider the ethics of business relations using the example of communication at various types of distance, because With competent communication and the ability to win over your interlocutor, the final result also depends.

Business relationships are closely related to communication, the interaction of production activities - this is the most widespread type of social communication. It represents the sphere of commercial and administrative-legal, economic-legal and diplomatic relations.

New economic and social conditions encouraged the broad masses of the population to engage in commercial and organizational activities. This circumstance has brought to the fore the need to teach linguistic forms of business communication, the need to increase the ethical competence of persons entering into social and legal relations and guiding the actions of people. In market conditions, ethical competence becomes an indispensable component of general professional training for managers, municipal employees, assistants, and managers at all levels and includes the determination of communication distances.

The topic I have chosen is relevant because the problem of distance in business communication has a significant place in business communication. Setting a distance between business partners is the foundation on which the effectiveness of communication depends! The reason for attention to these issues is primarily related to the economic damage that unethical behavior of employees and business partners causes to the company.

Intimate area

It is an imaginary bubble in which a person is enclosed and distant from the body by 0.5 meters. Having other people in this space usually involves physical contact, such as hugging, stroking, touching, kissing. Under normal conditions, only close people can be close to a person without the risk of provoking aggression: relatives, spouses, very good friends. If an unfamiliar person tries to get into the intimate area of ​​a person, then the latter releases stress hormones, mobilizes the body, and prepares to repel aggression or escape. Nature has provided this mechanism as a means of self-defense.

However, city dwellers are often forced to tolerate strangers in their immediate vicinity. For example, in public transport, elevators, in a crowd on the street. This gave rise to a series of compensating mechanisms, a set of unwritten rules that all citizens follow in similar circumstances. It is not recommended to stare at strangers or talk loudly (even with your friends). Following the unwritten rules of behavior in society is the simplest means of helping the nervous system cope with the stresses inherent in life in a metropolis. Villagers who find themselves in a big city initially experience enormous psychological stress precisely because they react sharply to the invasion of their intimate space.

intimate distance

The distance between people, taking into account intimate distance, is no more than 45 centimeters. This allows you to share personal thoughts and opinions without fear of being heard by other people. When people communicate in intimate areas, words don't really matter. The most important role is played by non-verbal factors: gaze, movements, touch.

The effect of the intimate zone is most clearly visible between spouses.

People who are dissatisfied with their marriage will always be at a distance that is significantly greater than 0.5 meters. An absolutely opposite picture can be seen between happy couples.

It should be noted that the boundaries of the intimate zone may differ for each person. For example, people who are prone to using brute force create for themselves an intimate zone of a larger radius than that of other people. This situation arises due to the constant readiness of rude and cruel people for danger.

Dynamic component of psychological distance

Psychological distance is not some rigid boundaries that you draw around yourself once and for all. This phenomenon is constantly changing and transforming. A small child has practically no psychological distance from his mother, so he does not separate himself from her for a long time, being confident that he and his mother are one.

As you grow older, the skill of psychological distancing develops. In adolescence, distancing from parents can reach an extreme degree, at the same time, the psychological distance with peers decreases, and a sense of cohesion and imitation appears.

Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko: Pexels

As an adult, you have many social connections, your psychological distance with some people is greater, with others less. It can change in relation to specific people, just as your opinion about them changes.

Sometimes the distance increases with everyone at once - so your psyche requires solitude, isolation, a break from psychological contacts.

Spatial arrangement

The orientation of interlocutors in the communication process plays an important role. Any business coach and negotiation specialist will tell you that the atmosphere in an office or classroom (or any other room in general) most directly affects the success of communication. For it to be constructive and give positive results, you need to be able to position your interlocutors in a special way that promotes the right psychological mood.

Next we will talk about the spatial arrangement of communication participants at the table, because It is at this table that in many situations the interlocutors sit, both during business and friendly communication. Proxemics studies this issue very carefully, and experts identify four main positions occupied by participants in communication:

• Corner location. With this arrangement, the interlocutors sit diagonally; they are separated by the diagonal of the table. You can almost always notice that good acquaintances, friends or relatives sit this way when communicating. This position is good because the interlocutors can see each other and record all non-verbal manifestations of partners - gestures, facial expressions, pantomime (here it is appropriate to talk about the joint use of concepts: prokesmics-kinesics). The corners of the table play the role of a kind of dividing barrier, thanks to which psychological comfort is created for people. It is also interesting that with a corner arrangement, the table is never divided by people into “their” zones.
• Business communication position. The second type of location is more suitable for business meetings. The interlocutors occupy one side of the table, i.e. sitting next to each other. This not only allows, for example, to view documents and other materials together, but also promotes more confidential communication, which does not have a positive effect on the entire process of interaction between people. By the way, during group meetings, people often sit on one side of the table working on the same project, performing common tasks and/or sympathizing with each other.
• Competitive and defensive position. The classic arrangement is when the interlocutors take seats opposite each other on opposite sides of the table. This option is typical for opponents with opposing views on the problem under consideration, and in most cases corresponds to business negotiations. People in a competitive-defensive position are separated by a table, which makes communication formal. There is no need to talk about ease and trust here, and if you need to come to a compromise, it is better to choose a different location, for example, a corner one.
• Independent position. Another frequently encountered position. Corresponds to situations where people are not interested in communicating with each other. People simply sit at a respectful distance from each other. If it is a table, then on different edges of the table, if it is a bench, then on different edges of the bench, etc. Each of us can see people in an independent position in parks, at bus stops, in libraries or restaurants (we are, of course, talking about people who do not know each other).

Of course, in one article it is unlikely that it will be possible to consider all the interesting things offered by proxemics, but from the above we can conclude that this direction of psychological science is very useful in everyday life. By understanding the intricacies of spatial relationships, we can understand the personality traits of other people and find the right approach to each of them, as well as simplify communication and make it more productive.

If you want to understand this topic in more detail, we recommend reading books on proxemics. Among such books are:

• Edward Hall "The Silent Language";
• Julius Fast, Body Language. The ABC of Human Behavior";
• Alan Pease "Body Language";
• Yu. I. Filimonenko “Attitude to space as a function of the subconscious.”

And to conclude the article, we present some interesting data about intercultural differences among people from the perspective of proxemics. This information may also be useful to many.

The origins of proxemics

One of the first people who began to study spatial relationships was the American scientist - anthropologist and psychologist Edward Hall. According to him, any person strives to have his own personal physical space, as well as organize it independently. In fact, this is a natural biological need of humans.

As a result of long and fruitful scientific research, in 1969 Edward Hall wrote the book “The Silent Language,” where he outlined in detail the answers to the main questions on the topic of spatial relationships. In addition, the scientist introduced the concept of “proxemics” into use, which meant the physical distance maintained by people during communication. This is how the field of psychology emerged, dedicated to the study of the spatial conditions of human communication.

It is also important to note that today there are other directions that explore the nuances of nonverbal communication. These include kinesics, which studies pantomime, facial expressions and gestures of people, and takesika, which focuses on non-verbal communication between people through touch. By the way, one can often observe the joint use of these terms, for example, kinesics-proxemics and takesics-proxemics, although this is not entirely correct, and it would be more correct to consider proxemics an independent direction.

The main postulate of proxemics is the following idea: all human movements in the process of interaction with other people are not random, but are determined by the attitude of people to each other and their belonging to a particular culture.

A person considers the space closest to himself to be his personal territory, and if someone invades it, he may react aggressively. That is why the practical benefits of proxemics are expressed in the ability to correctly choose the distance for communication and take into account the relative position with the interlocutors.

To systematize information about this, Edward Hall divided the space surrounding a person into four zones. Next we will look at each of them, but first we invite you to watch an interesting video about what reaction a sudden invasion of their personal space causes in people.

Kinesthetic means of communication.

Kinesics - movements that are reflected using the subject’s optical system: gestures, postures, facial expressions, appearance, handwriting, etc.

Kinesics includes movements that are reflected using the subject’s optical system, that is, a visually perceived range of movements that perform an expressive-regulatory function in communication.

The kinesic structure performs the function of supplementing or replacing speech messages, and therefore is endowed with a unique priority in creating the image of a partner and the entire communication situation. The study of kinesics is a huge area of ​​research in psychology, communication theory, and cultural studies. The most studied elements of the kinesic structure of nonverbal behavior to date can be considered facial expressions, gestures, postures, and glances.

Stages, barriers, communication strategies

The following stages are distinguished in the communication process:

A) The need for communication (need to communicate or find out information, influence the interlocutor, etc.) forces a person to come into contact with other people.

B) Orientation to the goals of communication, to the communication situation.

C) Focus on the personality of the interlocutor.

D) Planning the content of your communication: a person imagines (usually unconsciously) what he will say.

E) Unconsciously (sometimes consciously) a person chooses certain means of using idioms, decides how to speak, how to behave.

E) Perception and assessment of the interlocutor’s reaction, checking the effectiveness of communication based on establishing feedback.

G) Adjustment of direction, style and methods of communication.

If any of the links in the act of communication is broken, the speaker does not achieve the expected results of communication - it becomes ineffective. These skills are called “social intelligence”, “practical-psychological intelligence”, “communicative competence”, “communication skills”.

By communication barriers we mean many factors that cause or contribute to conflict. After all, communication partners often have different and often opposing desires, aspirations, characters, and different feelings.

To successfully overcome such psychological barriers, we must arm ourselves with basic knowledge about the nature of characters, needs and attitudes.

Needs mean the desire for those conditions without which it is impossible to maintain one’s normal physical and mental state. Need is a state of desire for something, perceived and experienced by a person. A person can formulate it; to implement it, he outlines a plan of action.

Attitude is a person's unconscious readiness to behave in a certain way, the willingness to react positively or negatively to certain events or circumstances. Attitudes are manifested in habitual judgments, perceptions and actions. Once developed, it persists for a more or less long time.

These are the causes of poor communication, communication barriers, which in brief are:

A) Stereotypes are simplified opinions about people or situations.

B) Prejudicial attitude - rejection of everything that does not correspond to one’s own views.

C) A hostile attitude towards the interlocutor (or interlocutors) leads to difficulties in the process of persuading a person.

D) Lack of attention and interest of the interlocutor until he realizes the importance of the information for himself.

D) Ignoring facts, i.e. the habit of drawing conclusions based on superficial information.

E) Wrong choice of words, illogicality.

G) Wrong choice of communication strategy.

The following communication strategies exist:

open - closed communication;

monologue - dialogic communication;

role (based on a social role) - personal (communication “from heart to heart”).

Open communication - the desire and ability to fully express one's point of view, attitude and available information. The use of closed communication is justified in the following cases.

When there is a significant difference in the level of competence and there is no point in spending time and effort on improving the competence of the “low side”;

In conflict situations, it is not recommended to reveal your feelings and plans to your opponent. Open communication is effective when there is comparability, but not identity of actual positions (exchange of opinions, plans). "Simultaneous questioning" is a semi-closed communication in which one person tries to find out the position of another without revealing his own position. “Hysterical presentation of the problem” - a person openly expresses his feelings, problems, circumstances, without being interested in whether the other person wants to “enter someone else’s circumstances” and listen to the “outpourings”.

Individual characteristics

Although the concept of proxemics implies a certain distance, which is expressed in specific numbers, these indicators can be considered more conventional than a specific guideline in the communication process. If you observe several people selectively, it will be noticeable that one is able to easily let other interlocutors approach him, while the other keeps everyone at a distance, although the topic of conversation and the status of the interlocutors are the same in both situations. This is due to the characteristics of each individual; This is influenced by others, family, upbringing and other factors.

Communication between people is rarely reflected in such indicators as nationality and race, as well as the cultural characteristics of the interlocutor. Even hostility between people is more often expressed through verbal communication and gestures than by distance between interlocutors.