Perception of Crowding and Tolerance for Interpersonal Proximity and Separation in South Africa

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Abstract
Sixty-four black and white, male and female high school pupils (aged 17–18) in South Africa were given a crowding perception test (CPT) and a doll placement task measuring the closest and farthest interpersonal distances perceived as comfortable (personal space and separation tolerance). In the CPT, blacks placed more figures in a simulated room than whites (p < .001) when representing a changing room for sports teams but not when representing a Christmas party. It is argued-that the crowded conditions in which the blacks live have not resulted in their learning to be comfortable at very close distances and that one form of adaptation to crowding is likely to be through depersonalizing others and avoiding meaningful social encounter. With the doll placement task, black females representing themselves with males used significantly larger distances than other sex combinations. This was thought to express fear, related to feelings of sexual vulnerability. Personal space in both groups was larger with teacher than with peer or parent. This was explained in terms of lesser familiarity with dyadic interaction with the former.