Dynamic characteristics of the transformation of interpersonal distance in cooperation

Abstract

This paper describes an empirical study that investigated how interpersonal distance under a cooperative situation varied in accordance with the differences of task, device, orientation of the body, and posture. Twenty young adults participated. The results revealed statistically significant effects of task (p “holding a device” > “cooperative tasks”; between “face-to-face” > “side-by-side”; and between “notebook-PC” > “blackboard” or “smartphone”. The results also suggested that not only a single cause but the complex of multiple factors of social interaction influenced the transformation of interpersonal distances. A new model of the measurement was also proposed.