Interpersonal Distance During Real-Time Social Interaction: Insights From Subjective Experience, Behavior, and Physiology

Abstract

Physical distance is a prominent feature in face-to-face social interactions and allows regulating social encounters. Close interpersonal distance (IPD) increases emotional responses during interaction and has been related to avoidance behavior in social anxiety. However, a systematic investigation of the effects of IPD on subjective experience combined with measures of physiological arousal and behavioral responses during real-time social interaction has been missing. Virtual Reality allows for a controlled manipulation of IPD while maintaining naturalistic social encounters. The present study investigates IPD in social interaction using a novel paradigm in Virtual Reality. Thirty-six participants approached virtual agents and engaged in short interactions. IPD was varied between 3.5 and 1 m by manipulating the distance at which agents reacted to the participant's approach. Closer distances were rated as more arousing, less pleasant, and less natural than longer distances and this effect was significantly modulated by social anxiety scores. Skin conductance responses were also increased at short distances compared to longer distances. Finally, an interaction of IPD and social anxiety was observed for avoidance behavior, measured as participants' backward motion during interaction, with stronger avoidance related to close distances and high values of social anxiety. These results highlight the influence of IPD on experience, physiological response, and behavior during social interaction. The interaction of social anxiety and IPD suggests including the manipulation of IPD in behavioral tests in Virtual Reality as a promising tool for the treatment of social anxiety disorder.

Social Distancing During A COVID-19 Lockdown Contributes to The Maintenance of Social Anxiety: A Natural Experiment

“…The current findings also correspond with recent findings from research on interpersonal distance, suggesting that socially anxious individuals feel uncomfortable at closer interpersonal distances and tend to avoid them (Givon-Benjio & Okon-Singer, 2020;Kroczek et al, 2020;Perry et al, 2013). Such avoidance and safety behaviors are often perceived by socially anxious individuals as helpful in managing anxiety but may actually be harmful (McManus et al, 2008).…”

Outbreak of COVID-19 altered the relationship between memory bias and depressive degree in nonclinical depression

“…Moreover, considering that social stress may re-emerge when social distancing goes back to normal, the resumption of work and school should be carried out gradually, not only to prevent the recurrence of the pandemic but also to provide time for people to adapt to re-emerging social stress in case they experience an increased degree of depression. Previous studies have linked too close interpersonal distances to increased feelings of threat and decreased pleasantness (Ahs et al, 2015;Kroczek et al, 2020), which is also in line with our findings.…”

Changes in Aggressive Behavior, Cortisol and Brain Monoamines during the Formation of Social Hierarchy in Black Rockfish (Sebastes schlegelii)

“…Aggressive interactions can lead to a social hierarchy and influence behavior and physiology in vertebrates from teleost to mammals [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]. A general behavioral inhibition can cause appetite suppression, reduction of reproductive behavior, and low spontaneous locomotor activities, particularly in subordinate individuals when a social hierarchy exists in an animal population such as arctic charr ( Salvelinus alpinus ) and tree shrews ( Tupaiidea ) [ 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 ].…”