ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the authors address how space influences awkward interactions. A key feature of awkwardness is its ability to spread through space, almost like a contagion. Some spaces, such as elevators, are inherently imbued with latent awkwardness. The authors identify three spatial subtypes of awkwardness. First, “out-of-place awkwardness” occurs when there is no clear script, often due to conflicting contexts. For example, teaching in a park during the pandemic can feel awkward because the setting is typically associated with picnics, and not with teaching. Second, “off-stage awkwardness” arises when private actions unintentionally become public, such as when someone unmutes during an online work call and private conversations are overheard. Third, awkwardness can also occur even when one follows the script, but there is a lack of physical co-presence. Online interactions, for instance, often lack intimacy (feelings of closeness) and synchronicity (interactions happening real-time), making them feel awkward, especially when transitioning from virtual to physical settings. This is termed “no-show awkwardness”, where, in Goffmanian dramaturgical terms, the absence of co-presence results in a performance, but not a “true” show.
