Factors Affecting Personal Space toward a Group
The personal space of 160 males and 160 females was measured relative to target groups whose characteristics varied in size (1, 2, 3, 4), type of person (men, women, boy, and girl), and direction of orientation (right, front, left). Two analyses of variance were completed: (a) sex of subject × type of target person × group size × direction of facing and (b) sex of subject × direction of facing of right target × direction of facing of left target person × man-woman composition. Personal space was smaller toward groups not containing a man than for those containing a man, for groups of children than adults when approaching face to face, for groups of females than males when approaching from behind, for groups facing away than for groups facing at right angles than for groups facing toward. Although group size was involved in a significant interaction with type of person and direction of facing, it did not produce a significant main effect. Sex of subject also was not significant, showing that males and females exhibited generic social schemas in personal spacing toward groups.