Perception of Personal Space

• Amount of space a person is comfortable having between

himself or herself and another person

• Varies among cultures

• Amount of acceptable space can vary between males and

females, females and females, and males and males

Standing too close to someone from a culture that prefers more personal space can be intimidating, making that person fearful and less reluctant to speak openly.
Standing too far away from someone with a preference for closer physical distance between speakers can indicate emotional distance and an unwillingness to help.
A recruiter’s ability to understand acceptable personal space for certain migratory family members will help build a stronger relationship.