proxemics

[ prok-see-miks ]

noun

(used with a singular verb)

1. Sociology, Psychology. the study of the spatial requirements of humans and animals and the effects of population density on behavior, communication, and social interaction.
2. 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.

proxemics

/ prɒkˈsɪːmɪks /

noun

1. functioning as singular the study of spatial interrelationships in humans or in populations of animals of the same species

Other Word Forms

• prox·e·mic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of proxemics¹

First recorded in 1960–65; prox(imity) + (phon)emics; apparently coined by U.S. anthropologist Edward T. Hall (1914–2009)

Example Sentences

Ruth Sherman, a public speaking expert who analyzes body language, observed that the forces of “proxemics” — a term that describes how people communicate using space — were at play during the debate.

From New York Times