Approaches and Methods for Studying Human Proxemic Behavior: An Analytical Review

Abstract

Human spatial behavior is the basis of social communication at the individual, group, and intergroup levels. Research in the field of human proxemics began as early as in the 1960s. In the 1970s, there was a scientific boom in the study of spatial behavior in humans. Methods for studying interpersonal distance were divided into three types: projective methods, laboratory methods, and field observations. By the present moment, there have been accumulated a large quantity of studies utilizing all three approaches. This analytical review examines the advantages, disadvantages, and limitations of each, taking into consideration samples of different sex, age, and ethnicity. We argue that, for most reliable results, it is still necessary to evaluate the merits and limitations of each of the approaches in order to arrive at the most optimal scientific compromise.