Ident Specialists

I remember when first learning about psychology of space, I was amazed to discover that the space around the body is not symmetrical. Yes, the differences between standing far away versus close by are common sense. At one extreme, the further you stand from people, the less connection you have. At the other extreme, standing very close penetrates the intimate space we keep around ourselves. You can often see that clearly when you approach someone who immediately leans or steps back. If the space does not permit moving away, e.g. the person is sitting in the chair, then he might instead close off his personal space by folding hands and feet. Much more fascinating and surprising to me was the discovery that the space around the body is asymmetrical, and the left space is vastly different from the right space. It's great when these spatial preferences are complementary (e.g. if mine is on the right side, then hers is on the left side). But what if they are not? Then the two people talking will feel subtly uncomfortable and might start to unconsciously outmaneuver each other in circles.

Dental Blog by
Ident Specialists
Oral Surgeon, DMD
Dr. Mark Niznikiewicz