proxemics
[ prok-see-miks ]
/ prɒkˈsi mɪks /
noun (used with a singular verb)
Sociology, Psychology.
the study of the spatial requirements of humans and animals and the effects of population density on behavior, communication, and social interaction.
Linguistics.
the study of the symbolic and communicative role in a culture of spatial arrangements and variations in distance, as in how far apart individuals engaged in conversation stand depending on the degree of intimacy between them.
Compare
personal space.
Origin of proxemics
1960–65;
prox(imity) +
-emics (extracted from
phonemics); apparently coined by U.S. anthropologist Edward T. Hall (born 1914)
OTHER WORDS FROM proxemics
prox·e·mic, adjectiveWords nearby proxemics
British Dictionary definitions for proxemics
proxemics
/ (prɒkˈsɪːmɪks) /
noun
(functioning as singular)
the study of spatial interrelationships in humans or in populations of animals of the same species