The role of group membership and culture in interpersonal distance regulation

The current study aims to examine the influence of group membership and cultural conceptions on the regulation of interpersonal distance (IPD) among Chinese and Italian adolescents. Two‐hundred forty participants completed an online computerized version of the Interpersonal Visual Analogue Scale to...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of applied social psychology 2024-09, Vol.54 (9), p.523-535
Main Authors: Wei, JuanJuan, Candini, Michela, Frassinetti, Francesca, Rubini, Monica
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescents
Asian cultural groups
Computerization
Cultural groups
Distance regulation
Group identity
Intergroup relations
Membership
Regulation
Social dynamics
Social interaction
Social systems
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Summary:The current study aims to examine the influence of group membership and cultural conceptions on the regulation of interpersonal distance (IPD) among Chinese and Italian adolescents. Two‐hundred forty participants completed an online computerized version of the Interpersonal Visual Analogue Scale to assess their preferred IPD. A greater distance was found in Chinese than Italian participants. Chinese participants also chose a larger distance from outgroup than ingroup members, whereas no such tendencies were found among Italian participants. Moreover, in the Chinese group, a larger distance from the male target was chosen by females compared to male participants. Finally, all participants maintained greater distance when outgroup members approached from the back than from the front. These findings not only provide evidence that nationality and group membership impact on how individuals regulate spatial boundaries, but also offer a new lens to understand intergroup dynamics shaping social interactions among individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds.
ISSN:0021-9029
1559-1816
DOI:10.1111/jasp.13056