Communication: Is It Important To Respect Other People's Personal Space?

During those moments when one is in a crowded place, it is not going to be possible for them to maintain their personal space. The space that they need in order to feel comfortable is not going to exist.

This could be something that one experiences everyday or it could be something that takes place every now and then. If one lived or worked in a city, for instance, this is going to be something that they are used to.

When this isn’t the case, one could experience it when they travel to a city for work or if they were to go there on holiday. As a result of this, it will be something that most people have experienced at one point or another.

A Difference

If one has lived in a city their whole life, there is the chance that they will have adapted to this kind of environment. Yet, if one has lived in the country or in an area that is not built-up, they are likely to have a greater need for space.

The first person could move somewhere quieter and while they might enjoy having more space, they may begin to feel disconnected. On the other hand, if one was to move to a city they would no longer have as much personal space and this could cause them to feel overwhelmed.

Distance

However, even if one is used to being extremely close to people they don’t know, that doesn’t mean they will be happy to accept this in other contexts. They will need their space just like the people who live in areas where they don’t need to get as close to people.

How much space they need will depend upon who someone is and how they behave towards them. For example, if one was around a friend, family member or a lover, they are not going to expect them to keep their distance.

Closer

They will feel more at ease with them being closer; unless they have had some kind of disagreement or fall out. This level of comfort is likely to have been something that has developed over time.

If it has happened without a short period of time (as it can if one has only just become friends with someone or if they have allowed a family member back into their life), it will come down to how the other person has behaved. The other person’s behaviour will have caused one to gradually trust them.

Strangers

When one meets someone for the first time, they are usually going to feel the need to maintain a certain distance. If the other person was to get as close to them as a friend or a family member does, there is a strong chance that they will feel uncomfortable.

Just as if one was to get too close to the other person, they would also start to feel uncomfortable. Yet, as each person gets to know the other, they might no longer feel the need to maintain their distance.

Context

If one was meet someone who they were attracted to, they may feel the need to get close to them straight away. It would be easy to say this is the wrong approach, but it could be the right approach.

What it could come down to is what their intentions are; as if one wanted to have a relationship with them, it might not be the best option. But if this was not what they wanted and as long as the other person doesn’t feel uncomfortable, it might not be a problem.

Violation

Yet, this is generally not going to be the best approach when it comes to everyday life. In these cases, coming on strong and ignoring the other person’s personal space is likely to have a negative effect.

For one thing, one is going to come across as though they don’t respect the other person. They are also going to feel violated, and as they don’t feel safe in their presence, it is not going to be possible for them to trust them.

First Impressions

If one comes across in this way the first time they meet someone, it could end up being the last time they meet them. What this shows is how important first impressions are; as once one has formed an idea of someone in their mind, it usually stays with them.

Action

Certain distances have been recommended when it comes to how close one should get to another, and these will depend on the context. One way to approach this is to pay attention to how other people respond.

Through focusing on the other person and observing their body language and facial expressions, one will be able to see if they are too close. Another way of doing it will be for one to empathise with the other person and to imagine how they would feel if they were in the others person’s shoes.