Module 5: Cultural Appropriate and II.
Spatial Behavior
Competent Care Nursing Approaches in
SPACE ORIENTATION
I. Space
PERSONAL SPACE- is the area that
surrounds a person’s body; it includes the
space and the objects within the space.
Scott (1998), in his classic work, defined
inner personal space as dynamic, invisible
of demarcation that can be divided into four
concentric areas of space. - is often described in nursing
(1) The inner spirit core, literature in relation to universal
(2) An area of thought and feelings need for territoriality.
perceived as unacceptable, Territoriality refers to a state characterized
(3) An area of thoughts and feelings by possessiveness, control, and authority
perceived as acceptable, and over an area of physical space. If the need
(4) An area of superficial public image. for territoriality is to be met, the person must
be in control of some space and must be
- Although personal space is an able to establish rules for that space.
individual matter and varies with the
situation, dimensions of the personal Proximity to others:
space comfort zone also vary from PROXEMICS is the term for the study of
CULTURE TO CULTURE. human use and perception of social and
(Davidhizar, Shearer, & Giger, 2002). personal space (Hall, 1974)
Individuals tend to divide surrounding space
Perception of space into regions of front, back, right, and left.
-sensory apparatuses fall into two The front region is considered the most
categories (Hall, 1969, 1977) important, is the largest, is recalled with the
greatest precision, and is described with the
1. DISTANCE RECEPTORS are greatest detail.
concerned with the examination
or distance objects Generally, in Western culture there are three
primary dimensions of space:
2. IMMEDIATE RECEPTORS are
1. The intimate zone
used to examine the world up
2. The personal zone, and
close.
3. The social or public zone
III. Cultural Implication IV. Implication to Nursing Care
1. Require the most personal space. 1. Security includes actual safety from
2. Japanese tend to devote more time harm and giving the person a feeling
and attention to the proper of being safe.
organization of their living space for - People generally tend to feel safer in
perception by all the senses. their own territory because it is
3. Arabs value modesty and privacy, arranged and equipped in a familiar
particularly with strangers. Comfort manner.
and personal disclosure are
increased if the care provider is of 2. In addition to security, personal
the same sex. space provides privacy and at the
4. A white American female nurse from same time protected communication.
a non-tactile culture may experience 3. Another important aspect of
discomfort when a male client from a territoriality for nurses is the function
tactile culture, such as the Latin of autonomy. Autonomy is the
American, African-American, or means by which a person controls
Indonesian cultures, stands in the what happens.
intimate zone while describing 4. It is essential to remember that
symptoms. having personal space promotes
5. Some Latinos, the double abrazo, in self-identity by affording
which two men embrace by placing opportunities for self-expression and
their arms around each other’s that personal well-being is often
shoulders, is the accepted form of related to the critical distance a
greeting. person keeps from others.
6. Touching the shoulders of a
Japanese man is seen as a
humiliation and an unpardonable
breach of traditional etiquette.
7. In the Thai and Vietnamese cultures,
the head is sacred, and patting the
head of a small child is considered
offensive.
