Space culture

II. Space and Distance
The flow and shift of distance between us and the people with whom we interact are as much a part of communication experiences as the words we exchange. Notice how we might allow one person to stand very close to us and keep another at a distance. We use space and distance to convey messages. The study of this message system, called proxemics, is concerned with such things as our (1) personal space, (2) seating, and (3) furniture arrangement. All three have an influence on intercultural communication.
Personal Space
Our personal space is contained within an invisible boundary surrounding our body called the “comfort zone”. As the owners of this area, we usually decide who may enter and who may not. When our space is invaded, we react in a variety of ways. We back up and retreat, and our hands become moist from nervousness, or sometimes even react violently. Our response shows not only our unique personality, but also our cultural background. For example, cultures that stress individualism generally demand more space than do collective cultures and “tend to take an active, aggressive stance when their space is violated.”This perception and use of space is quite different from the one found in the Mexican and Arab cultures. As Condon tells us, in Mexico the “physical distance between people when engaged in conversation is closer than what is usual north of the border.”And for Middle Easterners, Ruch writes, “Typical Arab conversations are at close range. Closeness cannot be avoided.”
As is the case with most of our behavior, our use of space is directly linked to the value system of our culture. In some Asian cultures, for example, students do not
sit close to their teachers or stand near their bosses; the extended distance demonstrates respect. Extra interpersonal distance is also part of the cultural experience of the people of Scotland and Sweden, for whom it reflects privacy. And in Germany, Hall and Hall tell us, private space is sacred.
Seating
Culture influences even the manner and meaning in seating arrangements. Notice, for example, that Americans, when in groups, tend to talk with those opposite them rather than those seated or standing beside them. This pattern also influences how they select leaders when in groups: in most instances, the person sitting at the head of the table is chosen. In America, leaders usually are accustomed to being somewhat removed physically from the rest of the group and consequently choose chairs at the ends of the table. In China, seating arrangements take on different meaning. The Chinese often experience alienation and uneasiness when they face someone directly or sit on opposite sides of a desk or table from someone. It makes them feel as if they are on trial. In China, meetings often take place with people sitting on couches. In Korea, seating arrangements reflect status and different roles. In a car, office, or home, the seat at the right is considered the one of honor.
For the Japanese, “seating arrangements at any formal or semiformal function are also based on hierarchy.”The most important person sits at one end of the rectangular table (长方形), with those nearest in rank at the right and left of this senior position. The lowest in class is nearest to the door and at the opposite end of the table from the person with the most authority.
一般的宴请。

<除自助餐、茶会及酒会外>,主人必须安排客人的席次,不能以随便坐的方式,使得客人不知所措。

桌次的顺序。

如席设在饭店或礼堂,圆桌两桌,或两桌以上时,则必须定其主次。

其定位的原则,以背对饭厅或礼堂为正位,其右旁为上,左旁为下,如场地排有三桌,则以中间为上,右旁次之,左旁为下。

座次图与座位签卡。

遇宴会人多,如超过二十人以上,或席设两桌以上,宜备座次图,供客人认明自己的座位,便于入座。

座次的安排。

以右为尊。

如席设两桌,则以右桌为大。

主人坐定后,他的右侧为主宾位。

地位高者为尊,高者坐上席。

欧美国家视宴会为社交最佳场合,故席位采取分座原则,即:男女分座,排位时男女互为间隔。

夫妇、父女、母子、兄妹等一般分开;如有外宾在座,则中国人与外宾插开坐。

遵守社会伦理,长幼有序,师生有别,在正式的宴会场合,尤应严格遵守。

座位的末座,不能安排女宾。

:面门为上,以远为大,居中为尊,以右为尊.也就是说,对着门口的位置为主位,离门口最近的为次位,其他位次以离主位的远近而定主次,右主坐次:而在中国的传统政务礼仪中却是以左为尊的.
包间安排上位是离门最远的位置，下位是门口之位，左侧为客位，右侧为副位！
因为：主位在用餐的时候不受任何人打搅，客位和副位也是！
下位是请客之人所坐，第一、上菜方便；第二、叫服务员、买单都很方便，不用影响其他同事、朋友的用餐秩序~
Furniture Arrangement
Furniture arrangement within the home communicates something about the culture. For example, people from France, Italy, and Mexico who visit the United States are often surprised to see that the furniture in the living room is pointed toward the television set. For them, conversation is important, and facing chairs toward a television screen will discourage a conversation. In their countries, furniture is positioned to encourage interaction.
Even the arrangement of offices gives us a clue to the character of a people. According to Hall and Hall, in France “Everything is centralized, and spatially the entire country is laid out around centers.”In Germany, where privacy is stressed,
office furniture is spread throughout the office. In Japan, where group participation is encouraged, many desks are arranged hierarchically in the center of a large, common room absent of walls. The supervisors and managers are positioned nearest the windows. This organization encourages the exchange of information, facilitates multitask accomplishments, and promotes the Confucian concept of learning through silent observation.
Co-cultures also have their own use of space. Prostitutes, for example, are very possessive of their territory. When they mentally mark an area as their own, even though it may be a public street, they behave as if it were their private property and keep other prostitutes away. In prisons, where space is limited, controlled, space and territory are crucial forms of communication. New inmates quickly learn the culture of prison by learning about the use of space. They soon know when to enter another cell, that space reduction is a form of punishment, and that lines form for nearly all activities. Women normally allow both men and other women to stand closer to them than do men. Leathers has concluded: Men use space as a means of asserting their dominance over women, as in the following: (a) they claim more personal space than women; (b) they more actively defend violations of their territories—which are usually much larger than the territories of women; (c) under conditions of high density, they become more aggressive in their attempts to regain a desired measure of privacy; and (d) men more frequently walk in front of their female partner than vice versa. (Samovar 164-167)
Four Types of Space described by Hall:
Intimate Distance (Distance: Touching to 1/12 feet/18 inches) (０～０．４５７米)
This is the distance of lovemaking, wrestling (摔跤), comforting, and protecting;
Personal Distance (Distance: 1/12 feet/18 inches to 4 feet) (０．４５７～１．２１９米) Personal space is your "bubble" - the space you place between yourself and others. This invisible boundary becomes apparent only when someone bumps or tries to enter your bubble.
Social Distance (Distance: 4 to 12 feet) (１．２１９～３．６５７米) Impersonal business or casual conversations can be carried on in this space. People are very much aware of the presence of one another, but they neither interfere with each other nor are they oppressively near;
Public Distance (Distance: 12 to 25 feet, or farther) （３．６５７米～）
A person at this distance is outside the circle of involvement. This is the distance reserved for public speakers and/or public officials or for anyone on public occasions.。