Preferred interpersonal distances: A global comparison

Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology • Vol/Iss. 48(4) • Sage • • Published In • Pages: 577-592 •
By Sorokowska, Agnieszka, Sorokowski, Piotr, Hilpert, Peter, Cantarero, Katarzyna, Frackowiak, Tomasz, Ahmadi, Khodabakhsh, Alghraibeh, Ahmad M., Aryeetey, Richmond, Bertoni, Anna, Bettache, Karim, Blumen, Sheyla, Błażejewska, Marta, Bortolini, Tiago, Butovskaya, Marina, Castro, Felipe Nalon, Cetinkaya, Hakan, Cunha, Diana, David, Daniel, David, Oana A., Dileym, Fahd A., Domínguez Espinosa, Alejandra del Carmen, Donato, Silvia, Dronova, Daria, Dural, Seda, Fialová, Jitka, Fisher, Maryanne L. , Gulbetekin, Evrim, Hamamcıoğlu Akkaya, Aslıhan, Hromatko, Ivana, Iafrate, Raffaella, Iesyp, Mariana, James, Bawo, Jaranovic, Jelena, Jiang, Feng, Kimamo, Charles Obadiah, Kjelvik, Grete, Koç, Fırat, Laar, Amos, de Araújo Lopes, Fívia, Macbeth, Guillermo, Marcano, Nicole M., Martinez, Rocio, Mesko, Norbert, Molodovskaya, Natalya, Moradi, Khadijeh, Motahari, Zahrasadat, Mühlhauser, Alexandra, Natividade, Jean Carlos, Ntayi, Joseph, Oberzaucher, Elisabeth, Ojedokun, Oluyinka, Omar-Fauzee, Mohd Sofian Bin, Onyishi, Ike E. , Paluszak, Anna, Portugal, Alda, Razumiejczyk, Eugenia

Abstract

The authors assess and compare preferred interpersonal distances over 42 countries. Environmental and sociopsychological factors are tested in order to explain variability in interpersonal distance across cultures. The authors seek to go beyond previous studies and better understand cultural differences and similarities in proxemic behaviors.

Samples

Sample Used Coded Data Comment
Researcher's ownResearcher's own, other researcher's(Fincher & Thornhill, 2012), (United Nations report, 2015), (Van de Vliert, 2011), (Human Development Report, 2013)

Hypotheses (4)

HypothesisSupported
Preferred interpersonal distances will vary across countriesSupported
Characteristics of interacting individuals-including age and gender-will predict preferences for interpersonal distancesPartial
Temperature will be associated with preferences for interpersonal distancesPartial
"environmental and psychological factors will be related to interpersonal distance across countries (581)"Partial
Documents and Hypotheses Filed By: matthew.g.roth  emily.pitek