Theory Reading #3

After reading Robert Sommer’s article Personal Space: The Behavioral Basis of Design I realized how much I agree with the majority of the statements he makes in this article.  I agree with his concept of social increment, which says that a person is more likely to improve their performance if they are competing against someone.  In his article he talks about where people sit around a table depending on the kind of work or discussion they are engaged in.  For example, he talks about how people sit face to face for most communication.   I have noticed that this is usually true depending on the topic being discussed because we are taught to look people in the eye or at least to look at their face and that is easier to do if you are facing the person you are talking to.  With the layout of lobbies and lounges there are usually small groups of chairs so that small groups of people can converse with each other while still being in a larger space.  The thinking behind this is represented by quotes that Sommer makes in his article where he writes “I want to chat with my friend, not the whole cafeteria, so I sit next to her,” and “more intimate, there are no physical barriers between us.”  With the small batches of the seating spread out in a larger space smaller groups of people can converse without everyone else in the space hearing them.  It is also possible to tell what kind of discussion a pair or group of people are having based on their position at the table and their position to each other such as sitting face to face, side by side, or both sitting at either side of the corner of a table.  Sommer also points out how if there is a long park bench people will sit as far away from each other as possible and others would rather stand then sit in between the people sitting at either end.  I have also noticed that this is true with elevators because when people are in elevators they will stand as far apart from one another as possible and will only move closer to one another if they are forced to by the lack of space.  So in conclusion, the position that people sit or stand in a given situation is not as random as it might seem.  People choose where they are based on the person or people they are interacting with and their relationship with them.