Brief Reading #2 - Territoriality

Personal territory and space is important to everyone. Space and distance, also known as proxemics, determines many implications of relationships ranging from intimate closeness and connectedness with someone or a group to a wide-spread, farther distance in general public settings. The reading discussed an interesting topic on "Turf Defense" in which in some cases, individuals may feel violated and cannot tolerate other individuals within their general range or location. Sometimes, like the examples listed in the reading, humans will take drastic measures to protect their personal space in a more aggressive and defensive way.

Considering a conservative approach, I can say that at times I get irritated or annoyed if someone is trespassing on my "turf" where I feel that I have the right to exist within that location in a certain manner, yet another individual does not. For example, if someone were to come into my house or apartment, I normally do not require them to remove their shoes, since I do not do that either. However, if that individual walks through a mud puddle and then enters my residence to only dirty the flooring and not consider my personal turf, then I would be upset. Another example would be sitting at a table while studying in the Warrior Underground. Assuming I have the entire table to myself, I spread out my materials and get to work on things. But when a fellow classmate, friend, or colleague begins to talk with me and joins my table, asking if I can move my items out of the way (while I am in the zone of getting things done), I typically become more reserved and less expressive in my conversation because I am slightly annoyed with the invasion of my "personal turf" since my expectations of working in my own space had been violated.

It truly is interesting to note how others use their personal space and distance in both public and private settings, especially when it comes to trespassing on someone's "turf." Although relationships do play a factor in any communication regarding proxemics, I truly feel that turf defense becomes a key component in the emotions and feelings of one person to another when their turf is trespassed on and violated.