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Interpersonal Space in Corporate Offices

Interpersonal Space in Corporate Offices

2020

Project Type: Research Project
Level: Master of Science Thesis Project
Research Approach: Quantitative

Supervisor: Dr Gillian McChesney

University: Manchester Metropolitan University 
Department: Psychology
Area of Research: Environmental Psychology, Personality Psychology, Proxemics, Individual Differences
Role: Lead Researcher / Principal Investigator

'Interpersonal Space in Corporate Office Environments: Effects of Personality and Gender'

This study synthesises older and contemporary research on proxemic behaviour and personal space, to illuminate the effects of personality and gender on interpersonal distancing preferences in corporate office environments. It explores the relationships between Extroversion, Neuroticism, Gender and Interpersonal Spacing by measuring comfortable interpersonal distancing between colleagues in common desk arrangement scenarios under normal and social-distancing conditions. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the study was carried out using online questionnaires and digital visual analog scales rather than being presented to participants in physical locations. Study findings can inform comfortable distancing and spacing requirements for corporate offices as part of post-pandemic spatial adaptation initiatives.

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