How comfortable do you feel when people are standing a certain distance away from you? This is something that varies from person to person, but are you aware that it is often referred to as your personal bubble?
The average distance will also vary depending on your location, as different cultures have distinct ideas as to what is the perfect personal bubble diameter. For example, people that live in a rural area will have a larger bubble than those that live in a city. This is due to the city-dweller being used to having individuals effectively in their face all of the time with less space available, so it gets to the point where it no longer affects you the same way.
However, if you also compare the difference between two countries, you can see how this is able to become a rather complex matter.
In the United States, the personal bubble space can vary anywhere from 18 to 48 inches, which is a huge difference. However, go to Japan and they have a completely different idea of what amounts to personal space as the average distance is a mere 10 inches. So, when you go to any new place, just spend some time checking out how people stand, as it will have a real impact on your ability to relax when interacting with people.