In our medical college OP department; a common practice was to tie the chair of the patient (not the patient!) to one place!
This is actually very important!
If you do not do that then more often than not, the patient or the by stander would pull the chair closer to you! They would always be having an impression that you are not listening to them!
But when they do that, it is actually counter productive since then they are intruding into your ‘SPACE’!
It is an actual thing by the way! It is known as PROXEMICS!
Proxemics is the study of human use of space and how distance affects communication and social interaction.
Pioneered by anthropologist Edward T. Hall, it examines how individuals perceive and organize personal space in various cultural contexts.
It includes the four zones of interpersonal space depending on the distance between two individuals.
Going by this definition these are four zones!
The closest or the Intimate zone which is around (0-18) inches! This is purely reserved for close relationships like family and romantic partners! Any other person trying to be in this space can cause discomfort! Just as those who come very close to you when you speak! The invasion of your personal zone is, well intimate!
Then you do have the Personal or the casual zone which is around 1.5-4 feet, for interactions with friends and acquaintances only! A non romantic interaction is the key here!
Then you have the social or consultative zone! This is around 4-10 feet! This was made famous during the COVID time and this is the distance your patient MUST maintain with you and vice versa!
Finally you have the Public zone! Which is 10 feet or more, for public speaking or addressing a large group!
A central tenet of proxemics is that personal space needs are highly variable across cultures. For example, people in some places and cultures tend to be comfortable with closer proximity during conversation (high-contact cultures), while those in other places generally prefer more distance (low-contact cultures).
Misunderstanding these cultural differences can lead to misinterpretations; what one person considers friendly, another might perceive as intrusive!
The study of proxemics actually has lots of application in various fields like in architecture and Urban Planning and designing physical spaces like offices, homes and public places.
Directors and cinematographers use the placement of characters and the distance of the camera which is called the camera proxemic to communicate relationships and influence the audience’s emotional involvement!
Finally in Professional Settings like in fields like medicine, nursing or counseling, an understanding of proxemics helps professionals manage boundaries and build trust with patients or clients!
The world is a small place now! So it is all the while important now to respect everyone’s personal space!
Respect reminds me of Shankar Nag! His short time in the industry was legendary…
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