Edward Hall and Space

David Weir

Edward T Hall (The Silent Language)

Proxemics (the study of the use of space) and communication proxemics is the study of "perception and use of space".

Edward Hall: Space and Time

Different cultures have different norms to do with time, friendship, business, written / oral agreements etc. e.g. Many cultures do not regard meeting someone at 10.00 am as meaning exactly 10.00 am on the dot. Exact time can be seen as a Western obsession.

Space
space refers to the invisible boundary around an individual that is considered "personal." This sense of personal space can include an area, or objects, that have come to be considered that individual's "territory." This sense of personal space can be perceived not only visually, but "by the ears, thermal space by the skin, kinesthetic space by the muscles, and olfactory space by the nose" as well (Hall 1990, p.11).

Gender differences

There are important cultural rules and boundaries between sexes etc which mean we cannot move about as we would wish, We have to observe their 'hidden' norms and rules or risk the consequences. Different cultures have differing norms and attitudes towards personal space and how closely people stand to each other when communicating. There are norms for people to observe when in formal communication situations.

women and men.

. Spatial zones are different for women and men. Women initially approach more closely, prefer side-byside conversations, allow other women to be closer than men, men have more face-to-face conversations, tend to stand closer to women than women feel comfortable etc This can help account for some of the lack of assertiveness by women and feelings of being dominated, unable to move, crowded etc.

Hall's distance model

Intimate: 0-18" Personal: 18"-4' Social: 4'-10' Public Distance: 10' and more

Context
High and low context refers to the amount of information that a person can comfortably manage. This can vary from a high context culture where background information is implicit to low context culture where much of the background information must be made explicit in an interaction.

High and low context

People from a high context cultures often send more information implicitly, have a wider "network," and thus tend to stay well informed on many subjects. People from low context cultures usually verbalize much more background information, and tend not to be well informed on subjects outside of their own interests..

Time
"Time is one of the fundamental bases on which all cultures rest and around which all activities revolve. Understanding the difference between monochronic time and polychronic time is essential to success..." (Hall 1990, p.179). Monochronic time is characterized as linear, tangible, and divisible. In monochronic time, events are scheduled one item at a time and this schedule takes precedence over interpersonal relationships. Polychronic time, on the contrary, is characterized by "the simultaneous occurrence of many things and by a great involvement with people" (p. 14).

Monochronic and Polychronic

Monochronic

time is characterized as linear, tangible, and divisible. In monochronic time, events are scheduled one item at a time and this schedule takes precedence over interpersonal relationships. Polychronic time, on the contrary, is characterized by "the simultaneous occurrence of many things and by a great involvement with people" (p. 14

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY
Hall, E.T. (1959). The silent language. Garden City, NY: Anchor Press/Doubleday. Hall, E.T. (1977). Beyond culture. Garden City, NY: Anchor Press/Doubleday. Hall, E.T. (1983). The dance of life. Garden City, NY: Anchor Press/Doubleday. Hall, E.T. (1985). Hidden Differences: Studies in International Communication. Hamburg: Gruner & Jahr. Hall, E.T. (1987). Hidden differences: Doing business with the Japanese. Garden City, NY: Anchor Press/Doubleday. Hall, E.T. (1990). Understanding cultural differences. Yarmouth, ME: Intercultural Press. When Cultures Collide , Richard D. Lewis, Nicholas Brealey Publishing, London, 2nd edition, 2000

Halls dark vision of populations in Spatial tension

When crowding becomes too great after population build-ups, interactions intensify, leading to greater and greater stress. As psychological and emotional stress builds up and tempers wear thin, subtle but powerful changes occur in the chemistry of the body. Births drop while deaths progressively increase until as state known as 'population collapse' occurs. Such cycles of build-up and collapse are now generally recognized as normal for the warm-blooded vertebrates and possibly for all life. Contrary to popular belief, the food supply is only indirectly involved in these cycles.

Some useful sites

http://blogs.salon.com/0002007/2004/02/13.html http://interculturalrelations.com/v1i3Summer1998/sum98sorrellshall.htm http://www.afirstlook.com/archive/proxemic.cfm?source=archther And for a commercial training application look at http://www.professional-business-communications.com/services/programs-offe Take a look also at http://www.google.co.uk/search? q=cache:kRTQyj7ikHQJ:www.toolbase.org/docs/MainNav/LandUse/4 265_def_1-36.pdf+Social+variations+in+use+of+space&hl=en