SPACE AND DISTANCE.pptVIP

What do we use space and distance for? We use space and distance to convey messages. The study of this message system, called proximics(空间符号学), is concerned with such things as our personal space, seating and furniture arrangement. All three have an influence on intercultural communication. About the author Larry A. Samovar 拉里A.萨莫瓦尔 He is Associate Professor of Speech Communication at San Diego State College. He obtained his Ph.D degree from Purdue University in 1962. He is co-author of Oral Communication and associate editor for the Journal of Communication. There are three person expressed their own opinions of space and distance in this article. Condon——“physical distance between people when engaged in conversation is closer than what is usual north of the border.” Ruch——“Typical Arab conversations are at close range. Closeness cannot be avoided.” Hall and Hall——“private space is sacred.” In some cultures, such as England, the U.S., Germany, Australia ,people stress more individualism(个人至上), which usually demand more personal space than do collective cultures(集体文化). In America, leaders are accustomed to choose the chairs at the bottom of the table. In China, meeting often take place with people sitting on couches. Hierarchy（等级制度） appears in Japanese seating arrangements. Malthusian Theory(马尔萨斯人口论) Wisdom Let there be space in your togetherness. ---Kahlil Gibran Civilization is the progress toward a society of privacy. The savage’s whole existence is public, ruled by the laws of his tribe. Civilization is the progress of setting man free from man. ---Ayn Rand * SPACE: an amount of an area or of a place that is empty or that is available for use. DISTANCE: the amount of space between two places or things. In their estimation, furniture is positioned to encourage interaction. Putting a TV in front of the furniture will make them distract. T