An Explanation of Proxemics, The Science Behind the Human Need for Personal Space

Vox editor Phil Edwards took a look at the work of anthropologist Edward T. Hall and his informative science behind the human and cultural use of space. Naming the science “Proxemics“, Hall described the concept of personal space in his books The Hidden Dimension and The Silent Language.

Imagine if you could not only understand but diagram all the awkward little moments that make up a typical day. Edward T. Hall did just that. He created proxemics, the study of personal space. An anthropologist by training, he believed his new field could aid everything from intercultural communication to office design, and his books, like The Hidden Dimension and The Silent Language, introduced a new way of thinking about the world.

Really wish I’d had room/guts to do a Dianetics joke, but proxemics is still unusual enough on its own: https://t.co/OGzaxhVNrK

— Phil Edwards (@PhilEdwardsInc) July 6, 2016