Man cannot know the world without communication, because he needs the exchange of knowledge, feelings and thoughts. But at school, this important skill in life is not taught, nor is it taught at the institute, so not everyone is good at it. However, everyone can learn a few important and fairly simple rules and become sociable and pleasant in communication.

Sign language

Personal space

Any living organism has its protected and controlled territories. A person has the same personal space. For example, when talking, people try to keep a certain distance. The distance between interlocutors during communication depends on such factors as personal preferences, mood, nationality, temperament, culture. If the necessary distance is not observed, people may experience discomfort and irritation.

1. An intimate zone from 15 to 46 cm implies close emotional contact in everyday communication with loved ones (spouses, parents with children, lovers).

2. Private area from 46cm to 1.2m is applicable for good friends chatting, discussing personal matters. People working together tend to use this distance.

3. Social zone from 1.2 m to 3.6 m - the optimal distance for a conversation with friends. Even if in fact they are not very interesting to each other, the distance, as it were, in itself obliges them to be at least secularly attentive.

4. The public area over 3.6 m is used for public speaking in front of a mass audience. It is known that in order to ensure the greatest "openness" of communication and create a "trust effect" among listeners, the speaker often reduces this distance.

intimate centimeters

The use of personal space is great importance for human relationships and is a decisive factor in determining the degree of closeness between people. Interestingly, the emotional closeness between husband and wife can be measured with a tape measure in meters and centimeters. Thus, the distance chosen for conversation by married couples who are dissatisfied with their relationship is about 30 percent greater than the distance between spouses who are happily married.

As a rule, in successful families they communicate at a distance of 28 cm from each other, and in unsuccessful ones - at a distance of 37 cm. But if for the former this is a distance of comfortable emotional closeness, then for the latter it is a space of mutual misunderstanding. In other words, the closer a couple is to divorce, the fewer steps they are willing to take towards each other. The feelings and nature of the relationship can be judged, for example, by the approach of the bodies of kissing people. Lovers are tightly pressed by their bodies and, being in the intimate area, absolutely do not experience discomfort.

A completely different distance is observed when a stranger kisses, for example, from a work colleague congratulating him on the New Year. Both will involuntarily resign lower part body, at least at a distance of at least 15 cm.

cultural norms

In different cultures, the norms of distance in communication differ significantly. For example, during the conversation of the southern peoples, a shorter distance is allowed than the northern ones. Thus, the object of observation was a business conversation between indigenous inhabitants of the southern countries and typical representatives of the north, who did not know each other, followed by a clarification of the interlocutors' opinions about each other. It was noticed that in the course of the dialogue the southerners instinctively sought to get closer to the participants in the conversation, while the northerners all the time tried to distance themselves. Subsequently, each of them analyzed his first impression of a new acquaintance. The northerner thought about the southerner: how unceremonious and cheeky he is, pretending to be close. And the representative of the southern countries sincerely reasoned that the northerner was ambitious, arrogant and too self-confident. In fact, the reason for everything was the differences in the traditional norms of cultures, and it would be good to clarify the national identity before drawing any conclusions. That is why the southern residents, accustomed from childhood to approach the interlocutor almost closely, the distance of business communication with representatives of the northern regions seemed too great. It seems that Russian distance standards are more comparable with northern ones than with southern ones, although direct analogies are hardly appropriate here.

In the elevator

In the conditions of modern densely populated cities, people accidentally find themselves close to each other at an intimate distance, while they intuitively try to follow certain rules of behavior. So, for example, once in an elevator cabin, where several people rise at the same time, passengers try to stand still and not touch their neighbors. In such a situation, the need for a certain distance is felt by all those present. In fact, no one interferes with each other, does not touch with an elbow, does not touch with a bag - everyone is at a distance, but, nevertheless, they stand too close for strangers. Their biofields intersect and everyone feels uncomfortable.

Quite often, in such situations, unnatural poses and funny behavior are observed: one carefully examines the panel with buttons, the other, long before his floor, begins to jingle the keys, choosing the right one, and someone is deeply thoughtful and withdraws into himself, but at the same time catches any rustle in the elevator. Everyone, by his behavior, makes it clear that even a small contact is not desirable for him and that he does not want to cause inconvenience to others. With such a forced neighborhood, everyone feels a decrease in the permissible distance and emotional pressure. As soon as one passenger gets out, the remaining ones exhale with relief, immediately relax their elbows pressed to their sides and move away from each other - each person regained his zonal space and calmed down.

During the conversation, the interlocutors involuntarily pay attention to their surroundings. In this sense, the manager's office is a kind of his calling card. The interior of the office says a lot: about the wealth of the company, its solidity and reliability. Therefore, we must strive to ensure that the place where the leader receives visitors makes the best impression, and the atmosphere enhances his business status. However, it should be remembered that an office that is too luxurious is perceived by visitors with distrust.

When decorating an office, you need to remember that paintings and other office decorations should be neutral and at the same time emphasize the image of the company. It is better to paint the walls in standard colors that are generally accepted for office space. When equipping an office in relation to Russian conditions three zones are usually distinguished: the zone of personal work, collegiate activity and friendly communication.

In the personal work area there should be a desktop, a comfortable chair, telephones, modern organizational and technical equipment. Workplace should be properly lit.

The zone of collegial activity is equipped taking into account the requirements of the organization of deliberative work with people. It is necessary to have a "collegiate" table, comfortable chairs, pens and pencils, note paper, a carafe of water and glasses.

The zone of friendly communication should be away from the other two. It needs to have a couple of armchairs, a coffee table, soft drinks. With its design, the zone should have a friendly, informal atmosphere.

When equipping an office, it is desirable to take into account non-verbal means that can significantly increase the business status of its owner. So, for example, the higher the back of the chair, the more power and authority the person sitting in it has. For successful people, chairs most often have a high leather-covered back, and chairs for visitors have a low back.

A great influence can be exerted on the visitor if his chair is located on the other side of the table, opposite the leader.

Some other tricks can also increase business status. non-verbal communication: low chairs and sofas for visitors, an expensive ashtray, standing out of reach of the visitor.

For sufficiently effective business communication, it is very important to choose the right distance between you and the interlocutor. Indeed, there are general patterns, the knowledge of which will help you feel comfortable during a conversation and maintain the right mood.

territorial behavior. Distances and zones are a space for communication, a pronounced sign of attitude to a partner, to a situation, to one's place and role. Every person unconsciously feels a certain free zone around him. It is comfortable until someone invades it without permission. Social meaning and sense of place. The feeling of one’s own zone or one’s own space appears in a person very quickly: on the second day of a scientific conference, you tend to sit in “your” place and experience a feeling of discomfort if someone has taken it.

1. Intimate area. In our culture, the proximity of bodies from touching to half a meter is evidence of close relationships and unconditional trust. Trust is the condition under which we voluntarily let a person into our intimate zone.

Near - up to 15 cm. Far - up to 0.5 m - communication with close friends, well-known people.

The intimate zone is like an invisible cocoon in which we feel our remoteness from the rest of the world. In business communication, the preservation of the maximum intimate zone or its reduction indicates either the confidentiality of communication or the subordination of partners. The higher the status, the greater the intimate zone a person claims. We make a “breakthrough” into the intimate zone with the help of touch.

2. Personal. In our personal zone, we voluntarily leave those with whom we are close. Maintaining a distance within the personal zone depends on the status, relationship, and psychological state of the partners at the moment.

Middle - 45 - 80 cm. This is a zone of productive business communication. Far - up to 1.5 m. - the norm of business communication.

Any change in the position or location of the partner in the direction of increasing the distance between you indicates a difficulty in communication. Of course, the degree of possibility of voluntarily choosing a distance should be taken into account. For example, in an elevator or in transport, the distance between strangers can actually be within the intimate zone. In this case, we pretend that the person does not exist: we don’t look into the eyes, we don’t talk, we don’t increase contact at our own will. Another case: a table, tribune or other barrier separating partners. If you want to emphasize a difference in status or a negative attitude towards a partner, then you use the table as a natural barrier between you.

Social distance, as well as the dynamics of gaze, depends on cultural traditions: southern peoples tend to reduce the distance between partners, increasing intimacy through frequent touching, people from the east prefer to avoid physical proximity and maintain a large distance between interlocutors, Europeans and Americans have a distance in most expresses personal relationships between people. Often, the implicit reason for the psychological feeling of discomfort in communication is a change in distance due to the different growth of partners. Therefore, when trying to recognize the psychological meaning of the meters or barriers that separate you and your interlocutor, you should keep in mind objective factors: cultural traditions, status, height and gender, and subjective ones: psychological attitude and attitude towards you.

3. Social– area for surface contacts.

Near - from 0.5 to 2.0 m. Communication without communication. Unfamiliar people. Far - from 2 to 2.5 m. - leaders

The social zone in real business communication is constantly changing. A lecturer in an audience or a pop singer can be extremely remote or extremely close to the audience, and yet remain out of personal communication with them. In transport, in cafes, in the waiting room, people usually try to protect themselves with things or clothes from possible proximity to unfamiliar or unpleasant people. The minimum social zone is determined by how much I am ready to approach a stranger if nothing forces me to be near him. The social zone is determined to the greatest extent by the situation of communication, and to the least extent by the subjective motives of its participants. In the library, in the restaurant, we subconsciously consider half the table as our territory and instinctively protect it from a neighbor.

federal state educational institution

Supreme vocational education

"Siberian State University physical education

And sports"

Faculty of Humanities

Department of "Public Relations"

by discipline " Professional ethics»

Organization of communication space

Completed:

1st year student

G11CO2 groups

Nizhegorodtseva Angela

Nikolaevna

Scientific adviser:

candidate of philosophy Sciences,

Art. teacher

Elkina Maria Vladimirovna

Introduction……………………………………………………………………………………...3

Proxemics…………………………………………………………………………………..4

The need to organize space in business communication………………………...7

National specificity in the organization of communication space………………………10

Conclusion………………………………………………………………………………… 14

List of used literature………………………………………………………..15

Introduction

Communication is a complex process of interaction between people, which consists in the exchange of information, as well as in the perception and understanding of each other by partners. The subjects of communication are living beings, people. In principle, communication is characteristic of any living beings, but only at the human level does the process of communication become conscious, connected by verbal and non-verbal acts. The person who transmits information is called the communicator, and the person who receives it is called the recipient. The quality of information transmission is influenced by many factors, such as the personality of the communicator, his individual qualities, the timbre of his voice, the rhythm of speech, the situation in which information is transmitted, the environment, etc.

The purpose of this work is a detailed study of one of the factors of communication that influences its success or failure. This factor is the space in which the process of communication takes place.

In the course of the work, national specifics in the organization of communication space, the need to organize space in business communication, as well as distances and communication zones will be considered.

Proxemics

Proxemics (from the English proximity - proximity) is a field of social psychology and semiotics that studies spatial and temporal sign system communication.

Acting as a special sign system, the space and time of the organization of the communication process carry a semantic load, being components of the communicative situation.

Anthropologist Edward T. Hall in the 1950s, exploring the personal space of a person in his everyday behavior, denotes by this term "an analysis of how a person performs spontaneous structuring of microspace - intersubjective space, organizing space in his home, planning the urban environment" . He came to a new understanding of relationships between people. Each person has a certain territory, which he considers personal. Communication distance depends on many factors (origin, culture, personal preferences). If the distance is too small or too large, people may experience awkwardness and discomfort.

Like many mechanisms of human behavior, the observance of space was originally dictated by biological expediency. Man acquired social skills only in the last stages of his evolution. To this day, his behavior has preserved features dictated by ancient instincts, one of which is territorial.

Each person, for his normal existence, considers that a certain amount of space around him is his own and considers the violation of this space as an intrusion into the inner world, as an unfriendly act. Therefore, communication between people always takes place at a certain distance from each other, and this distance is an important indicator of the type, nature and breadth of relations between people. Each person subconsciously sets the boundaries of their personal space. These boundaries depend not only on the culture of a given people, but also on the attitude towards a particular interlocutor. So, friends always stand closer to each other than strangers. Thus, changing the distance between people during communication is part of the communication process.

Edward Hall identified four optimal "zones" for various kinds communication that changes from one culture to another. In particular, intimate, personal, social and public distances are distinguished.

1. Intimate distance. It (like all others) has two intervals: “near” and “far”. Close interval - direct contact; distant - distance from 15 to 45 cm. Behind this distance, an area is reserved for the exchange of intimate messages in body language (mutual touch, eye contact, etc.).

Not without interest in this regard are observations of married couples by a specialist in family therapy, D. Russell Crane. He argues that emotional closeness between spouses can be measured in meters and centimeters. The distance chosen for communication by married couples who are dissatisfied with their marriage is approximately 30% higher than the distance between happy spouses. On average, happy partners stop at a distance of 28.5 cm from each other, and unhappy partners at a distance of 37 cm, but if for the former this is the distance of emotional intimacy, then for the latter it is an unbridgeable abyss.

Thus, S. Stepanov believes, it is quite easy to establish what level of communication your potential partner wants to adhere to. It is enough to deliberately reduce the personal distance, and the other person will unconsciously make a movement to establish the distance that he currently finds acceptable. For example, if you move (lean) towards the interlocutor or interlocutor, reducing the distance to the level of intimate communication, and he or she is in no hurry to move away, then this, in all likelihood, indicates a readiness for closer contact. However, it must be remembered that the abuse of this diagnostic technique is fraught with the fact that your approach can be perceived as aggression or familiarity, or perhaps as shameless flirting.

In general, we do not mind the occupation of our intimate area only in combination with love, reward and praise.

Managers can also reinforce their superior claims through the spatial oppression of their subordinates.

According to the German psychologist Khorog Rückle, in violation of the boundaries of the territory, especially the intimate space of a person, the following reactions should be borne in mind: restless fidgeting, signaling a desire to leave; cross-legged, away from the invader - turn to the side and prepare for flight; finger tapping (internal alarm signal); resting on hands with the intention to rise, which signals a desire to get up and retire; squinting: "I don't want to see you come so close to me"; lowering the chin to the chest: "I obey, yes, I'm scared, and I protect my neck, leave me alone"; raising the shoulders to cover the neck: “I regard your intrusion as an attack and protect my neck”; grasping objects, especially pencils, which are then in most cases turned with a sharpened end towards the “occupier”: “I am holding myself in my hands or arming myself to protect myself from you.” Standing up: “I don’t allow myself to be treated like this, I draw my own conclusions and leave.”

When a woman invades a man's intimate zone, the indignation will not be as strong as when a man invades a woman's intimate zone.

The intimate zone of communication is located closest to the human body, and in it he feels safe. In almost all cultures of the world, it is generally not accepted to invade someone else's intimate zone. Therefore, many people find it difficult to endure situations when someone without permission touches them, pats them on the shoulder, and even more so slaps them. A person must determine for himself who can be allowed into his intimate zone. Therefore, one who invades someone else's intimate zone, without permission, causes strong negative feelings, up to disgust.

Scientists have proven that what stronger man interferes with someone's approach, the more hormones of struggle are produced in his blood. At such a moment, a person, as a rule, prepares for self-defense. This is inherent in nature, stress hormones help the body either cope with external danger or run away from it. If it is not possible to carry out one or the other, then the hormone of struggle turns into a "poison". For this reason, a person who violates the intimate zone of a communication partner causes both psychological and physiological harm to him.

2. Personal distance. Close interval: 45-75 cm, far: 75-120 cm. How close people stand to each other signals their relationship, or how they feel for each other. A wife can stand comfortably inside her husband's intimate personal zone. For another woman to be in it is a completely different matter.

In this space, normal communication processes that take place between people should be implemented. However, people who focus on inner experiences tend to maintain a greater distance than extroverts. If a person does not notice the personal zone and approaches the intimate one too quickly or even invades its limits, then he thereby demonstrates his lack of the necessary tact and a correct assessment of the personality of another person. He literally appears intrusive and makes a depressing impression. In fact, the protection of personal areas is one of the main principles of wordless communication.

But personal distance is not the same for people brought up in similar conditions. So, children and the elderly tend to be closer to the partner; teenagers and middle-aged people prefer a distant distance. In addition, we usually try to be at a greater distance from those whose position or authority is higher than ours, while people of equal status communicate at a close distance.

An important role in the regulation of personal distance is played by the gender and height of the interlocutors. The taller the man, the more he seeks to get closer to the interlocutor, and, conversely, the smaller his height, the greater the distance he prefers to stay. In women, the opposite relationship is observed. The explanation for this is that the society has developed an ordinary "cultural norm" - a man should be large, and a woman, on the contrary, should be miniature. And we unconsciously strive to adjust life to this conditional norm. It is pleasant for a tall man to stand next to a short interlocutor, and a tall woman, on the contrary, tends to move away to hide her "flaw".

The American psychologist Philip Zimbardo noted that people who are afraid of personal contacts with others tend to literally protect themselves. Sitting down in the dining room in free places, they move the neighboring chairs further away or try to clutter them up with some personal things in order to prevent the approach of a possible interlocutor. Such a strategy is quite common, and any of us can observe it in a similar situation. Thus, the desire to maintain a respectful distance is a sure sign of insufficient self-confidence, increased anxiety. And vice versa - a calm, self-confident person is less concerned about the inviolability of "one's own borders." An assertive, aggressive person is prone to physical expansion of his boundaries in the literal sense: this is evidenced, for example, by elongated or widely spaced elbows, legs, sweeping gestures relating to surrounding objects and people.

A number of experiments have found that people who are prone to the use of brute force have a wider intimate sphere, which can be twice as large as that of other people. This explains the fact why they begin to feel the approaching threat much earlier and, accordingly, resort to protective measures much earlier.

3. Social distance. Close spacing: 120-210 cm. People working together tend to use close social distance. The far interval is from 210 to 350 cm. This is the distance that people go when someone says to them: "Stand so that I can look at you."

We deal with social distance mainly in the sphere of business relations. Involuntarily, the dimensions of this distance are set when there is a dining table or a desk between the interlocutors. At such a distance from each other, all conversations take place, during which they do not seek to establish close relationships, and it is more about this or that business than about a person. At the same distance, there are also conversations about problems that are not directly exciting and are considered abstractly, “from the outside”.

4. Public distance. Close interval: 350-750 cm. Far interval: more than 750 cm. This is exactly the distance that speakers usually stand from their listeners. The limits of the public or common area allow you to observe people without any embarrassment, especially those of them who flaunt themselves. This is also possible because someone who is being observed from such a distance can be sure that such observation does not develop into an attack. The attacker would have to cover quite a long distance first. In addition, various details and trifles that they want to hide from others cannot be seen at such a distance. The gaze of the observer at a great distance does not provoke the appearance of any defense mechanisms or defensive body language.

The need to organize space in business communication

Business relationship is a complex multifaceted process of developing contacts between people in the official sphere. Its participants act in official statuses and are focused on achieving goals, specific tasks. A specific feature of this process is its regulation, i.e., obedience to established restrictions, which are determined by national and cultural traditions, professional ethical principles. A prerequisite in the process of business relations is the communication of people, so it is extremely important in what environment and space it will take place.

Relations between people unfold not only in space, but also in time. How a person manages someone else's and his time is an important social sign. Respect for another person is manifested in increased accuracy of punctual behavior. To make another wait means, voluntarily or involuntarily, to declare one's right to dispose of the situation. The time factor is very important in a society where “time is money”, so it is important not to waste time in vain. In this, in particular, it is necessary to look for the source of punctuality among businessmen. There are spatial rules of interaction between participants in communication.

Let's consider the placement of negotiators in a working office at a standard rectangular table with four positions of your interlocutor.

1) angular location;

2) the position of business interaction;

3) competitive-defensive position;

4) independent position

Angular location is typical for people engaged in friendly casual conversation. This position promotes constant eye contact and provides room for gesticulation and the opportunity to observe the gestures of the interlocutor. The corner of the table serves as a partial barrier in case of danger or threat from the interlocutor. With this arrangement, there is no territorial division of the table.

The position of partners against each other usually creates an atmosphere of rivalry. This arrangement of the interlocutors contributes to the fact that each side will adhere to its point of view. The table between them becomes a kind of barrier. People take this position at the table when they are in a rivalry relationship or when one of them reprimands the other. In addition, if the meeting takes place in the office, then such an arrangement also indicates a relationship of subordination. It should be remembered that the competitive-defensive position makes it difficult to understand the point of view of the interlocutors and does not create a relaxed atmosphere. Greater mutual understanding can be achieved in a position of corner location and in a position of business interaction than in a competitive-defensive position. The conversation in this position should be short and specific.

There are times when it is very difficult or inappropriate to take a corner position when presenting your material. Suppose you need to offer a sample, diagram, or book for consideration to a person sitting across from you at a rectangular table. First, put what you want to present on the center line of the table. If he leans forward to get a better look at your material, but does not move him to his side, then this means that your material is of little interest to him. If he moves the material to his side of the table, then this means that he has shown interest in it. This makes it possible to ask permission to go to his side and take either a corner position or a position of business cooperation. However, if he pushes away what you brought him, then the deal will not take place, and you need to end the conversation as soon as possible.

People who do not want to interact at the table with each other take an independent position. This position indicates a lack of interest. It should be avoided when frank conversation or interested negotiations are required.

The creation of a psychological climate during communication is significantly influenced not only by the location of the interlocutors at the table, but also by the shape of the tables themselves. Thus, a square table contributes to the creation of a relationship of rivalry between people who are equal in position. Square tables are good for holding a short business conversation or to emphasize the relationship of subordination. Here, a cooperative relationship is established more quickly with the person who sits at the table next to you, and the person who sits on your right will be more attentive to you than the one who sits on the left. The maximum resistance will be provided by the person who sits directly in front of you.

At a rectangular table at a meeting of people of the same social status, the place on which the person sits facing the door is considered dominant.

The round table creates an atmosphere of informality and ease, and it is best to have conversations around it with people of the same social status. In addition, when you have to conduct a business conversation with two interlocutors, one of whom is very talkative, and the other, on the contrary, very silent, it is advisable to sit at a round table.

In order for all partners to take an active part in the conversation, you should use a simple but very effective technique: when a talkative interlocutor asks a question, while answering, look at him first, and then turn your head towards the silent interlocutor, then again towards the talkative, and then again - in the direction of the silent. This technique allows the reticent interlocutor to feel that he is also involved in the conversation, and you - to win the favor of this person (this means that you, if necessary, can get support from him).

Thus, a square (or rectangular) table, which is usually a work table, is used for business conversations, negotiations, and briefings. A round table is most often used to create a relaxed, informal atmosphere and is great when you need to reach an agreement.

You should not only choose the right shape of the table, but also be able to seat your interlocutor at it in such a way as to create maximum psychological comfort. This is especially important when you invite him to a gala dinner at your home or restaurant.

Try to make sure that your interlocutor sits with his back to the wall. Psychologists have proven that a person's breathing rate and heart rate increase if he sits with his back to open space, especially if there is constant walking behind his back. In addition, tension increases when a person's back is turned towards the front door or window, especially if these are first floor windows.

As we can see, these seemingly trifles are of no small importance in business communication. That is why it is very important not only to know, but also to be able to apply all this in practice in order to achieve an effective result.

Conversation, conversation on the phone, discussion, negotiations, meeting, presentation. Business letter.

A business conversation is a conversation between two interlocutors, respectively, its participants can and should take into account the specific features of the personality, motives, speech characteristics of each other, i.e. communication is interpersonal in nature and involves a variety of ways of verbal and non-verbal influence of partners on each other

A telephone conversation is a contact in time but remote in space and mediated by special technical means of communication between interlocutors. Accordingly, the lack of visual contact increases the load on the oral-speech means of interaction of communication partners.

Features of telephone communication. The telephone has a number of advantages that other means of communication lack. The main ones are: the speed of information transfer, the immediate establishment of communication with a subscriber located at any distance. Direct exchange of information in the form of dialogue and the ability to reach an agreement without waiting for a meeting, confidentiality of contact, reduction of paperwork, savings on organizing contacts of other types.

Discussion (dispute) as a type of business communication is widely used when discussing disagreements, in a situation where there is no consensus on the issue under discussion. Argument is the science of persuasion. Persuasion is a method of influencing the consciousness of a person through an appeal to her own critical conviction.

Negotiations are a specific type of business communication that has its own rules and patterns, uses a variety of ways to reach an agreement, modern problem analysis. The purpose of negotiations is to find a mutually acceptable solution, avoiding extreme forms of manifestation of the conflict.

A business meeting is a generally accepted form of business communication to discuss production issues and problems that require collective reflection and solution.

A presentation is a formal presentation of some information to an interested audience. The impact of the presentation is very serious, business contacts depend on its success.

Zones and distances in business communication

Distance is the distance that one person maintains relative to another, as well as unexpected movements that have the purpose of changing the distance, such as a sharp step back.

As you know, not every person we let close to us. Our space is divided into four zones: intimate, personal, social, public.

* Intimate zone.

From 0 to 45 cm. In English, the intimate area is called “buble”, which means “bubble”. Inside our bubble, we honor ourselves in safety. We keep the people we let close to the border of the intimate zone at a distance. Trust, what exactly gives a pass to close to us, and in other cases we protect ourselves from other people with a “shell”.

Personal zone.

This zone ranges from 45 to 120 cm. Normal business interactions and communication processes should take place in this space. It is from this zone that a sudden invasion into the intimate zone occurs, the transition is carried out smoothly.

Personal or impersonal distance is characteristic of such forms of business interaction as business negotiations or a friendly meeting, receiving visitors and consulting.

Social zone.

The social zone is the distance at which we keep from people whom we do not know very well or are completely unfamiliar, as well as when interacting with a small group of people. It is customary to use this distance for a group meeting of business people.

In business interaction, such communication is carried out at a distance of 1.2 - 3.5 m. The social zone borders on the personal one, it is intended, as a rule, for business contacts. It is very important that the partners fix the body signals that indicate the approach to the "permissible" border. After all, a negative reaction and psychological discomfort in violation of the distance arise without consciously

Public zone (communication zone).

The public area is the preferred distance when interacting with a large group of people, with a mass audience. The public area starts from 3.5 m, and the greater the distance from the audience, the more important the use of audio-visual means. This is necessary so that the audience can not only hear the words, but also “read” the non-verbal information told about the degree of their sincerity or deceit.

This zone is called open. The size of this zone is not limited.

Thus, in business interaction, an important element of etiquette is observance of borders and zones of interaction, violation of this rule is fraught with the most serious consequences.

The use of communication zones, greater or lesser freedom of action in them very clearly characterize business partners.

LECTURE 3

NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION (Continued)

Proxemic agents

Distance between communication participants

Proxemics(from the English proximity - proximity) explores the location of people in space in the process of communication. This concept was introduced by the American anthropologist Edward Hall in his book The Silent Language in 1969.

Proxemic means include: the distance between partners at the time of communication and their location at the table.

In business etiquette, the distance that people keep when communicating is of great importance. Violation of this distance, the so-called "personal space", usually causes discontent of a person. The size of "personal space" depends on various factors: population density of the country (the lower the density, the greater the distance); on the status of the one with whom business communication takes place (the higher the status, the greater the distance); from the psychological type of personality (introverts do not tolerate close distance); from social and age differences (the greater the difference in age or social status, the greater the distance); on the gender and height of the interlocutors (the higher the man, the closer he seeks to approach the interlocutor; and a tall woman, on the contrary, seeks to move away); from your own mood at the moment (the worse the mood, the greater the distance). Knowing what distance is the acceptable norm for approaching a person to a person makes it possible to predict the reaction of people in the process of communication, as well as to avoid errors that impede communication.

Allocate four spatial zones, or distances in communication: intimate, personal, social and public .

Intimate zone(0 (15) - 45 cm) - this is the "personal space", which is the most important for a person and is carefully guarded by him. The closest people are allowed to enter this zone. Those whom we do not let near the border of the intimate zone, we keep at a distance of about half an outstretched arm.

As already noted, the size of the intimate zone to a certain extent depends on various external and internal circumstances.

In business interaction, it is not customary to invade someone else's intimate zone, so many people do not tolerate it when someone touches them without permission, pats them on the shoulder. And if someone invades someone else's intimate zone, then by doing this he demonstrates complete disrespect for the partner, causing him strong negative emotions, up to disgust. According to experts, the more unpleasant a person’s approach is, the more fight hormones are produced in his blood. At such a moment, a person prepares for self-defense.

Business communication specialist A.P. Panfilova notes that the violation of the boundaries of the intimate space of a business person is accompanied by certain reactions of his body, such as:

restless fidgeting, signaling a desire to leave;

Crossing legs, away from the "invader" - turn to the side and prepare for flight;

finger tapping (internal alarm signal);

leaning on hands with the intention to get up, which signals the desire to get up and leave;

squinting eyes: "I don't want to see you come so close to me";

lowering the chin to the chest: "I obey, I'm scared and I protect my neck, leave me alone";

Raising the shoulders to cover the neck: “I regard your intrusion as an attack and protect my neck”;

grasping objects, especially pencils, which are then in most cases turned with a sharpened end towards the “occupier”: “I control myself or arm myself to protect myself from you”;

Standing up: "I will not allow myself to be treated like this, I draw my own conclusions and leave."

The method of deliberately invading the intimate zone of another is used by investigators when they want to force the person under investigation to speak (this technique is demonstrated in almost all detective films).

Violation of the intimate zone of subordinates is characteristic of some leaders. So, sometimes they allow themselves to hug their employees, pat on the shoulder, supposedly as a sign of special favor, and at the same time object to doing the same with them. They do not think that shameless behavior can deprive others of a sense of security, lead them into a state of irritation or offend.

Interestingly, the position of a person in a particular firm can be judged by the size of his desk: the larger the desk, the (most often) higher the status of its owner. But the larger the table, the greater the distance that is forced to separate the owner of the table and a business partner, visitor or colleague. At such a table, as a rule, business problems are discussed. For a conversation in a more relaxed atmosphere, it is advisable to move closer to the partner, in a corner specially organized for these purposes.

If negotiations are conducted at a large table, then the partner should free the edge of the table where he sits so that he can place papers on it. If this is not done, then the partner has the right to regard such behavior as a signal meaning:

deliberately creating an uncomfortable position for the visitor;

bad upbringing, misunderstanding of the situation.

Sometimes during a business event it is very important to determine which of those present is the main person in order to talk about the issue of interest with him. To do this, it is necessary to observe those to whom others allocate more space - this is the person who makes the main decisions.

To maintain mental and ethical comfort in crowded conditions, for example, in a bus or an elevator, Europeans have a number of unwritten rules of conduct (A. B. Dobrovich):

It is not allowed to talk to anyone, even acquaintances;

The face must be completely impassive - no manifestation of emotions;

The closer you are in a transport or elevator, the more restrained your movements should be;

if you are holding a newspaper in your hands, you should completely immerse yourself in reading;

In an elevator, look only at the floor indicator.

The organizers must take into account the obligation to preserve the intimate zone of a person. mass events. They need to know that with good attendance, approximately 0.5 m 2 per person should be planned. If it is expected that there will not be very many participants at the event, then up to 1 m 2 is planned per person. Crowding changes the state of mind: the closer the circle of people, the easier it is to “turn on” the crowd, make it aggressive. The less crowded, the easier it is to manage the audience. All this should be taken into account when organizing meetings, rallies, conferences and presentations.

Private zone in business communication it is 46 - 120 cm. In this space, communication takes place between business partners and colleagues, everyday communication with well-known people or communication at a reception, party. Personal distance is typical for such forms of business communication as conversation, business negotiations or a friendly meeting, receiving visitors and consulting.

With personal distance, people often sit at the same table, so the following business communication rule must be observed: if two people share one table, then each of them should consider their own half of the table as their own intimate zone.

To mark the border of the table, they use a variety of objects: writing materials, folders with papers, etc. To capture the space, elbows and hands are used: hands are put forward to cover “their area”, elbows are placed as wide as possible to “protect” their intimate area. As soon as someone sitting at the table invades the space of the person sitting opposite, a reaction immediately follows: the person closes his eyes, looks away, is obscured by something or leans back in his chair.

In this regard, the famous example of Nietzsche is interesting: porcupines, in order not to freeze, huddle together, but at the same time they huddle so tightly that they prick with their quills. Thus, recommendations can be formulated for developing a demeanor in terms of personal distancing: one should seek closeness in order to “not freeze”, and avoid any intimacy that can “hurt”.

Speaking of business interaction, this rule can be formulated as follows: if we are forced to be squeezed into others, then according to an unwritten "arrangement" we must treat them impersonally, avoid making eye contact (for example, in an elevator, at a rally).

social zone(from 1.2 to 3.5 m) - this is the most convenient distance for formal communication with unfamiliar or unfamiliar people (newcomer to the group, new person in the team, plumber, etc.), as well as when interacting with a small group – 15±7 people. Usually such a distance is taken for group business meeting, meeting, discussion, press conference, seminar, round table, etc.

The social zone allows its participants not only to hear the partner, but also to see; as a rule, the gaze should be directed to the face and hands.

If someone, during a discussion of a problem, puts his palms on one or both sides of his head, creating "blinders", then by doing so he wants to protect himself from irritants in order to concentrate entirely on the information: the one he hears, or the one he hears. which he wants to express himself.

Indicative in a group discussion is the gesture of covering the ears with both hands, which means the desire to interrupt the person who is objecting to you, as if saying: “I don’t want to listen to what you say at all.”

All this is clearly visible only at a distance, therefore, once in the social zone of communication, it is advisable to control yourself as best as possible and carefully observe the partners of collective interaction.

Public, or open, communication area(more than 3.6 m) – this is the distance preferred when interacting with a large group of people, with a mass audience. These are such forms of business communication as meetings, press conferences with a large group of journalists and interested partners, presentations, public lectures, reports and speeches, etc. The greater the distance between the communicator and the audience, the more important it is to use a variety of audio-visual voice volume to show the speaker's face on the screen). This is necessary so that the audience can not only hear the words, but also “read” non-verbal information that “tells” about feelings, the degree of their sincerity or deceit.

The public area is also called the open area. It also includes the distance between the speaker and the listeners, for example: the lecturer and the audience, the head of the conference and its participants. The size of the open area is not limited.

Thus, an important element of business etiquette is the observance of boundaries and interaction zones. Violation of this rule is fraught with the most serious consequences. For example, in the heat of the moment, giving a friendly pat on the shoulder of a partner with whom you have just agreed on a good deal, you risk losing the agreement.

The use of communication zones, greater or lesser freedom of action within them, allows us to give a clear description of business partners. The one who easily changes the distance of communication is most likely to be the "leader"; the one who is more difficult - "slave". A subordinate in the boss’s office will not dare to move freely, while the boss can easily get up from the table, walk around, go to the window, etc. Such actions on the part of the subordinate can cause indignation and anger in the boss.

The owner of the office must be able to program the space according to their intentions and preferences. He can create a cozy or uncomfortable atmosphere for the visitor, just by placing a chair in one way or another. For example, if you put a chair in front of you, at your desk, and even with your back to the door, then there will be an uncomfortable position for the visitor. Behind the coffee table in soft crosses is a comfortable position for the visitor, however, with such a seating arrangement, it is difficult to end the conversation quickly.