ABSTRACT
This chapter describes a series of studies of one norm violation, sitting too close to another individual. Conversational distance is affected by many things including room density, the acquaintance of the individuals, the personal relevance of the topic discussed, the cultural backgrounds of the individuals, the personalities of the individuals, etc. The chapter also describes several studies of invasions of personal space that took place over a two-year period. The first was done during the summer of 1963 in a mental hospital. The invasions of personal space took place both indoors and outdoors. The major data of the study consist of records of how long each patient remained seated in his chair following the invasion. The patient's actual departure from his chair was the most obvious reaction to the intrusion. Many more subtle indications of the patient's discomfort were evident.
