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Table of Contents
Everyone has a bubble where they feel comfortable and safe. This bubble is called personal space, which is essential in building long-term relationships, promoting respect, and setting boundaries.
See the fact file below for more information on Personal Space or alternatively, you can download our 31-page Personal Space worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.
Key Facts & Information
PERSONAL SPACE: DEFINITION
- Personal space refers to the sphere each individual possesses. It includes areas around your body like the front, sides, and back. This space guarantees the person’s sense of safety and comfort. For instance, you may feel awkward if a stranger suddenly hugs you in public. On the other hand, there could be a misunderstanding if you thought your friends stopped holding your hands while walking.
- This may also indicate the “distance” between two or more people. Culture dramatically affects the perception of an individual about the ideal spaces and level of comfort.
- Society may dictate the accepted boundaries and zones between family, friends, acquaintances, and strangers. Hence, personal space varies from the individual’s discernment. Some people are sensitive to the proximity between their company, while others do not mind the distance between them.
- Some negative scenarios may happen if the person does not practice respect and setting personal space, such as:
- People may feel uncomfortable when someone disrespects their boundaries.
- People may feel scared because there could be a forceful and intimidating way of crossing personal zones. For example, if your neighbor suddenly yells at you in the street, you may feel embarrassed and scared by the person’s actions and behavior.
- People may feel offended when someone intentionally or unintentionally invades their personal space. For example, you went to the Philippines, where people usually hug each other, if you do not conform to their norms, some may feel offended by your actions.
- It is hard to make friends when someone does not know how to respect others’ boundaries and limitations. Friendship begins with trust and respect, so everyone should be the giver and receiver of these values.
- It is hard to say ‘’no’’ to other people because someone may think that others’ invasion of personal space is normal and acceptable. There is a considerable tendency to abuse, and a person will not have a set of boundaries.
PROXEMICS
- The scientific study of spatial structures, motives, and consequences in human interactions is known as proxemics. The closeness of personal areas might vary depending on the extent of the relationship with the firm. Consider having these “circles” surrounding you representing the “zones.”
THE FOUR ZONES
- Each zone contains a group of people you’ve identified as trustworthy and close to you.
- Me / Personal. People should be aware of their individual preferences, comfort gestures, and disrespectful actions. This should be clear even at a young age because this establishes self-respect, self-awareness, and self-image. For example, a child should know that it is too intimate if a person kisses or hug his/her face without permission.
- Family. This pertains to the group of people you live closely with. There are ties (blood or marriage) that connects everyone. Each member has roles to fill inside the family, like the father as the primary provider. They also share a common culture inside the organization.
- They are more likely to be closest to you because they are the people you have lived with your entire life. You have an incomparable trust for your parents and siblings.
- The following relatives are included in this zone: mother, father, siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins.
- Friends. These are the people you share your interests with. There was ample time to build trust and adoration for one another. Commonly, friends are created when people share similarities. Some friends could be inside the school, church, neighborhood, organizations, etc.
- Acquaintances. These pertain to the people you know a little but are not closely related to you. This may infer a casual relationship with less intimacy and trust.
- For example, Julia, your neighbor’s cousin, visits every summer.
- You know her by her face and name, but she is not your friend. Commonly, acquaintances have little interaction, and these people may also be your adult teachers, family friends, and random people in your community.
- Strangers. This zone includes people with whom you have zero degrees of familiarity. They are someone you have not meet before. You do not know their name, have never seen their face, and they are a new person to you. They are last in the zones because there is no ground of trust between these people.
DIVERSITY OF CULTURES
- Culture encompasses society’s accepted behaviors, norms, knowledge, arts, and institutions. It is common with people who share the exact location, history, and ancestors.
- Everyone belongs to a certain culture. So, concepts like personal space could be dictated and influenced by the human society itself.
- Some noted culture includes:
- Women want more personal space from strangers.
- Men care less for personal space from strangers.
- Tropical countries have closer proximities rather than colder countries.
- South Americans require less personal space than Asians.
- Hungarians want strangers and friends at arm’s length.
- The Middle East wants a closer distance than the United States.
- Americans have body bubbles with 2 feet diameter to feel comfortable.
- Romanians prefer strangers and friends to be distant. But friends could move a little closer.
BODY AWARENESS
- Body awareness or Kinesthesia is a foundation in teaching personal space. It refers to the awareness and consciousness of an individual of his body and space. Scientifically, the proprioceptive sense carries the sensory feedback of the muscles toward the brain. It indicates the body and space of the individual. If there is sensory processing difficulty, people may tend to invade personal areas.
- Use body socks. This provides pressures that generate a significant amount of sensory feedback. It utilizes the movement by stretching their arms and legs. This strategy is also suitable for handling overwhelming sensory pressures.
STRATEGIES FOR BODY AWARENESS
- Movement times. Allow the children to indulge in games and tasks with lifting, pulling, and sensory play. This practice allows their body muscles to send feedback frequently. Also, it is fun to do! Some of these games are:
- Playing with clay dough which help sets early muscle movements.
- Play toddlers learn and engage in wide space movements.
- Children may also use swings and playgrounds to help them increase their muscle movements.
- The game tug of war is a good game for strength and body pressures.
- In addition, even simple household chores may also enhance the body awareness.
CUES & SIGNS FOR PERSONAL SPACE
- It is important that everyone practice sensitivity and observation with verbal and nonverbal cues that may indicate awkwardness, shyness, threats, and negative emotions. Here are some cues or signs to be observed:
- Seating arrangements
- Leaders often seat at the head of the table.
- Competitors often seat across the table to monitor each other.
- When a person says NO or STOP
- Sudden interruptions while in the middle of a conversation
- Knocking before entering is a sign of respect
- Eye contact shows that an individual is interested in the conversation.
- Hand gestures
- Thumbs Up means okay or good
- The “V: sign for victory or peace.
- Sign language is also a form of communication
- Fingers crossed could be a sign of hopefulness.
- Abrupt proximity like unconsented hugging and touching.
- Pasted smile or fake smile appears rapidly, it remains set for longer than a natural smile, and does not appear to extend to the eyes. This usually denotes repressed discontent or some kind of forced compliance.
- Gripping own upper arms is basically self-hugging while folded Self-hugging is an attempt to soothe unpleasant or hazardous sensations.
- Touching or scratching shoulder using arm across body is a sign of nervousness and it indicates as a barrier and a protective signal.
PERSONAL SPACE
- Personal boundaries are the physical, emotional, and mental limitations we set for ourselves in order to prevent ourselves from being deceived, used, or abused by others. They enable us to distinguish ourselves and our ideas and feelings from the thoughts and feelings of others.
- These limitations might be related to:
- Physical touch (not feeling comfortable embracing a stranger)
- Verbal interactions (not wanting a family member or friend to speak down to you)
- Our own personal space (the decision not to have people in your house while you are not present)
- Why is it important to set boundaries? We all have our own personal lines, limits with which we would feel better at ease navigating life and our relationships. The problem is that not everyone has the same boundaries, and most individuals aren’t capable of predicting what other people’s boundaries are.
- This is especially true for those with low emotional intelligence (EQ). And they are frequently the ones who gain the most from having their personal limits properly explained to them.
- Setting limits is just telling someone else your demands for good engagement. It is not always simple. Not everyone will agree with or understand your limits or the reasons for establishing them. But you can’t expect such boundaries to be obeyed if you don’t set them.
- Setting boundaries requires guts and fortitude, but once done, you may rest easy knowing your lines have been drawn. Your requirements have been shared. And if someone continues to breach your limits, you have the right to put further distance between yourself and that individual.
RIGID, POROUS, AND HEALTHY BOUNDARIES
- A person with rigid boundaries is someone who always keeps people at a distance (emotionally, physically, or otherwise). Someone who is overly connected with people, on the other hand, has porous boundaries.
Rigid Boundaries | Porous Boundaries | Healthy Boundaries |
Avoids intimacy and personal connections.It is unlikely that you will seek assistance.Few close relationships.Personal information is very well guarded.Even with love relationships, you may appear distant.Keeps people at a safe distance to prevent the chance of rejection. | Personal information is shared excessively.Difficulty saying “no” to other people’s demands.Overly concerned about other people’s concerns.Relying on the views of othersAbuse or contempt is tolerated.Fears rejection if they do not conform to the expectations of others. | Own opinions are valued.Does not compromise ideals for the sake of others.Personal information is shared in an acceptable manner (not excessively or insufficiently).Personal wants and requirements are understood and communicated.Accepting it when others say “no.” |
ESTABLISHING HEALTHY PERSONAL BOUNDARIES
- Setting personal boundaries involves maintaining your integrity, accepting responsibility for who you are, and taking charge of your life. Here are the ways to establish healthy personal boundaries.
- Recognize your entitlement to personal limits. You not only have the right, but you must also accept responsibility for how others treat you. Your limits serve as filters that determine what is and is not acceptable in your life. You tend to obtain your feeling of value from others if you don’t have limits that safeguard and define you, as in a strong sense of identity. Set clear and unambiguous limits so that people will respect them, and then be prepared to go to any length to enforce them.
- Determine which actions and behaviors you find unacceptable. Inform people when they have gone too far, acted improperly, or mistreated you in any manner. Do not be hesitant to let others know when you require emotional or physical space. Allow yourself to be who you truly are without being pressured by others to be anything else. Understand what steps you may need to take if your requests are not honored.
- Have faith in yourself and your abilities. You have the utmost power over yourself. You understand what you require, desire, and value. Don’t allow others make decisions for you. Healthy limits allow you to appreciate your own skills, abilities, and individuality, as well as the strengths, abilities, and individuality of others. When you foster neediness or are needy; desire to be rescued; or prefer to play the victim, you create an unhealthy imbalance.
Personal Space Worksheets
This is a fantastic bundle that includes everything you need to know about Personal Space across 31 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use worksheets that are perfect for teaching about Personal Space which is like an invisible bubble around everyone where they feel comfortable and safe.
Complete List of Included Worksheets
Below is a list of all the worksheets included in this document.
- Personal Space Facts
- Bubble Words
- P.S BINGO
- P.S CUES!
- Don’t CROSS my SPACE!
- Story of SPACE
- My Boundaries
- People in My Space
- Movie SPACE
- Dear SPACE
- Pledge of Space
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Personal Space?
Personal space is the physical area or sphere around each individual which guarantees the person’s sense of safety and comfort. For instance, it is likely to feel awkward if a stranger hugs you in public, this indicates an invasion of your personal space.
What are the 4 types of Personal Space?
There are 4 types of personal space, these are: Personal, Family, Friends, and Strangers. Each “bubble” is wider and wider based on each person’s level of comfort and their relationship with the people that are around them.
How do we establish healthy personal boundaries?
In order to keep a healthy personal space and relationships we must first recognize that we are entitled to personal limits and we get to decide what is acceptable when it comes to our personal boundaries. We should also determine which actions are unacceptable and communicate when others are going too far. Lastly, we need to trust our own power over ourselves and know that we are allowed to enforce boundaries on ourselves and feel free to let others know when we are uncomfortable. All while understanding others’ right to their own comfort and that we must also respect it.
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Link will appear as Personal Space Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, July 5, 2022
Use With Any Curriculum
These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.