NCJ Number
57128
Journal
Psychological Reports Volume: 41 Issue: 2-3 Dated: (1977) Pages: 1115-1121
Date Published
1977
Length
7 pages
Annotation
RELATIONSHIPS AMONG PERSONAL SPACE REQUIREMENTS, ETHNIC BACKGROUND, AND TYPE OF CRIMINAL OFFENSE ARE EXPLORED IN A STUDY OF 90 INSTITUTIONALIZED DELINQUENT MALE WARDS OF THE CALIFORNIA YOUTH AUTHORITY.
Abstract
TO TEST PERSONAL SPACE REQUIREMENTS, EACH SUBJECT WAS ASKED TO INDICATE THE POINT AT WHICH HE BEGAN TO FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN APPROACHING STRANGER. PERSONAL SPACE REQUIREMENTS WERE DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE TYPE OF CRIMINAL OFFENSE COMMITTED BY THE SUBJECT. YOUTHS WHO HAD COMMITTED CRIMES AGAINST PERSONS UNIFORMLY REQUIRED MORE PERSONAL SPACE THAN SUBJECTS WHO HAD COMMITTED CRIMES AGAINST PROPERTY, WHO IN TURN REQUESTED MORE PERSONAL SPACE THAN SUBJECTS WHO HAD COMMITTED VICTIMLESS OFFENSES. THE VARIATION BY TYPE OF OFFENSE HELD TRUE FOR ALL ETHNIC GROUPS. SUBJECTS FROM LARGE FAMILIES HAD GREATER PERSONAL SPACE REQUIREMENTS THAN SUBJECTS FROM SMALLER FAMILIES. SUBJECTS WITH GREATER PERSONAL SPACE REQUIREMENTS EXHIBITED MORE PSYCHOPATHOLOGY AND HAD MORE PRIOR ARRESTS THAN SUBJECTS WITH SMALLER REQUIREMENTS. IF EXPANDED AND REPLICATED, THE FINDINGS COULD HELP TO EXPLAIN CERTAIN CRIMES. FOR INSTANCE, IT MAY BE THAT HOLDING PEOPLE AT A DISTANCE INCREASES THE LIKELIHOOD OF DEPERSONALIZATION, WHICH MAY IN TURN BE RELATED TO VIOLENCE. A SECOND POSSIBILITY IS THAT PEOPLE WITH LARGE PERSONAL SPACE REQUIREMENTS ARE MORE LIKELY TO PERCEIVE VIOLATIONS OF THEIR PERSONAL SPACE AND TO RESPOND AGGRESSIVELY. SUPPORTING DATA AND A LIST OF REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (LKM)