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The study of how physical space and distance affect communication. In business settings, proxemics shapes meeting room design, desk arrangements, and the spatial dynamics of presentations and negotiations. Research by anthropologist Edward Hall identified four spatial zones: intimate, personal, social, and public. Professional interaction typically occurs in the social zone (roughly 1.2 to 3.6 metres). Understanding proxemics helps explain why some office layouts facilitate open communication while others suppress it.

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