The Physical Environment (Proxemics)

The Four Zones (Intimate, Personal, Social, Public)

Proxemics is the study of how humans use space and how this affects communication.

Each individual has an invisible "territory," a bubble of personal space that he or she claims as his or her own.

The amount of space we need varies according to culture, population density and the relationship we have with others.

This space is divided into four zones:

Intimate Zone (up to ~45 cm): reserved for the closest contact, such as lovers, very close family or whispers.

Personal Zone (from ~45 cm to ~1.2 m): Used for close friends and private conversations.

Social Zone (~1.2 m to ~3.6 m): The standard distance for interactions with acquaintances, colleagues or at social gatherings.

Public Zone (over 3.6 m): The distance for public speaking or addressing a large group.

The dance of proxemics (Invasion and retreat).

When someone penetrates our personal zone uninvited, our brain instinctively perceives it as an attack or a threat.

This triggers a reaction of discomfort, irritation and anxiety, and our limbic system commands us to retreat to re-establish our comfort zone.

This often creates a comical "dance": the invader (who may have a smaller personal zone for cultural reasons) steps forward to reach his comfort distance, while the invaded person steps back to regain his.

The invader perceives the other as cold and distant, while the invaded perceives the former as aggressive or annoying, which damages the relationship.

The configuration of the meeting room (Avoiding face-to-face).

The physical environment greatly influences the dynamics of a negotiation or meeting.

If you arrive first in a meeting room, you should wait for the other person to choose his or her seat before you sit down.

What you should avoid at all costs is the face-to-face configuration (sitting opposite each other on opposite sides of a table).

This position creates an atmosphere of confrontation, a "you versus me" dynamic.

To foster collaboration, it is much better to sit at a 90-degree angle or even side by side, on the same side of the table.

This configuration creates an "us versus the problem" environment, where both of you can look at the target (such as some papers or a screen) together.

Territoriality and ownership (Marking space).

People have a natural tendency to "mark" their territory in public spaces by positioning personal objects.

For example, someone may hang their jacket on the back of a chair or put their purse on the table to claim that space. It is crucial to respect these territorial markers.

Invading someone's