Effects of Situational Stress and Sex on Interpersonal Distance Preference

The prediction that people prefer greater distance between themselves and others when they anticipate a stressful situation was tested. The sex of the "other" was expected to have an interactive effect on distance preference. Written descriptions of settings in which people anticipated future situations of high and low stress were presented and Ss indicated seating preference. When anticipating more stressful situations, more distance from another person was preferred. Males preferred to sit closer to the opposite sex while females preferred to sit closer to the same sex. These findings are consistent with an interpretation of interpersonal distance as a moderator of stress. The sex of the Ss and of their interaction partners must be considered in studies of interpersonal distance preference.