All of us are walking around in our very own imaginary bubble – our personal space. You know someone is intruding when you feel uneasy, and intuitively want to take a step back or away from the person talking to you.
Click start to play today’s Spell It, where we learn about the psychology that makes people reluctant to ‘cede’ even an inch of personal space to someone else.
Although the term ‘personal space’ is relatively new, people have been subconsciously aware of this zone for generations. According to a January 2018 report in the National Geographic, the brain creates a buffer zone or a ‘second skin’ around the body, which can change in size, depending on the context. This invisible second skin is a kind of protective shield – even animals have their own personal space, which alerts them to the fact that there’s a physical threat nearby and it’s time to flee.
Our personal space also helps us to function. Without a clear sense of the space around us, we bump into things, and have trouble learning things (like maths, which involves angles and distances). People who have dyspraxia, for instance, have poor spatial awareness and are unable to learn how to move appropriately or use proper coordination to perform practical tasks or activities.
We carry our space with us, no matter who we are or where we are. According to a 2017 study by the University of Nottingham, UK, you are truly able to identify your personal space and how open you are to people crossing it, on aeroplanes. It’s where proxemics come in – the study of how people unconsciously structure the space around them. For instance, on a plane, you would make sure you have access to your own armrest, and would likely be peeved when you’re jammed in by a passenger fully reclining his/her seat in front of you.
In today’s world, breaching someone’s personal space is easier than ever. With most of us interacting in cyberspace, which has literally no physical or personal dimension, it becomes easier for some people to fire insults at each other or be destructive, with no respect for boundaries.
How has your experience with personal space been? Play today’s Spell It and tell us at games@gulfnews.com.
