Editing Proxemics (section)

{{Short description|Study of human use of space and the effects that population density has on behavior}}
{{Redirect|Private space|a sector of societal life under an individual's control|private sphere}}

'''Proxemics''' is the study of human use of space and the effects that population density has on behavior, communication, and social interaction.<ref>{{cite web|title=Proxemics|url=http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/proxemics|website=Dictionary.com|access-date=November 14, 2015}}</ref> Proxemics is one among several subcategories in the study of [[nonverbal communication]], including [[Haptic communication|haptics]] (touch), [[kinesics]] (body movement), [[paralanguage|vocalics]] (paralanguage), and [[chronemics]] (structure of time).<ref name="nina moore">{{cite book|last=Moore|first=Nina|title=Nonverbal Communication:Studies and Applications|year=2010|publisher=Oxford University Press|location=New York}}</ref>

[[Edward T. Hall]], the [[Cultural anthropology|cultural anthropologist]] who coined the term in 1963, defined proxemics as "the interrelated observations and theories of humans' use of space as a specialized elaboration of culture".<ref name="Hidden Dimension">{{cite book| last = Hall| first = Edward T.| title = The Hidden Dimension| year = 1966| publisher = Anchor Books| isbn = 978-0-385-08476-5 }}</ref> In his foundational work on proxemics, ''The Hidden Dimension'', Hall emphasized the impact of proxemic behavior (the use of space) on [[interpersonal communication]]. According to Hall, the study of proxemics is valuable in evaluating not only the way people interact with others in daily life, but also "the organization of space in [their] houses and buildings, and ultimately the layout of [their] towns".<ref name="Hall2">{{cite journal|last=Hall|first=Edward T.|date=October 1963|title=A System for the Notation of Proxemic Behavior|journal=American Anthropologist|volume=65|issue=5|pages=1003–1026|doi=10.1525/aa.1963.65.5.02a00020|doi-access=free}}</ref> Proxemics remains a hidden component of interpersonal communication that is uncovered through observation and strongly influenced by culture.