Virtual café experiment finds Japanese participants keep greater distance than Italians

How close do we stand to other people during a social interaction? The distance we maintain between our body and that of another person—known as interpersonal distance—is a fundamental aspect of everyday life. It influences our sense of comfort, safety, intimacy and tendency to approach or avoid others. This distance can vary depending on the context, the characteristics of the other person, our emotional state, and our personal and social background.