Implied Threat and the Territorial Factor in Personal Space

Abstract

Body territory may be a useful concept when personal space is studied under conditions of threat. It is predicted that, under conditions implying physical threat, defense of body territory will be greatest in the condition of male-to-male movement, that the male object-person will be a greater source of threat than the female object-person, and that anxiety will be associated with greater intervening distances for both sexes. Each S (male or female) approached and was approached by his respective object-person (male or female), providing measures of invading and being invaded behaviors. The major findings were: Ss tended to stay farther from the male than the female object-person; males showed the strongest sex-of-object effect, with approach toward the female object being more influential than avoidance of the male object; female Ss were more influenced by anxiety; and male Ss were most influenced by degree of heterosexuality. It was concluded that partial support was evidenced for what could be called a body territorial factor in human space behavior.