A further look at equilibrium theory: Visual interaction as a function of interpersonal distance

This paper presents a study that examined the relationship between visual interaction and interpersonal distance as it relates to an equilibrium theory of social interaction. Differential boundaries were found to exist for the effect of distance on five highly related male and female visual behaviors, exemplifying different overall equilibrium levels for the sexes. While males looked more as distance increased, females looked less after an intermediate distance of 6.5 feet. These data support a modified equilibrium model that posits that eye contact functions to regulate the comfort of an interaction and is also a response to the degree of interaction comfort; further, comfortable interaction distances promote eye contact and, more importantly, uncomfortable distances diminish it. Because women tend to be more oriented toward inclusive relationships, they are more comfortable at closer interaction distances and, hence, look more at these distances. At greater distance, however, they are more uncomfortable and, consequently, look less.This research was supported by NIMH Grant MH-10779-04, grants from the Research Council of Rutgers University, and Grant HD-8546-01 from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. This article is based in part on the author's doctoral dissertation completed at Michigan State University; some of these data were presented at the meeting of the Eastern Psychological Association, Washington, D.C., 1973. The author is very grateful to the numerous students who assisted in these studies and to Jeanne Gullahorn, Eugene Jacobson, Lawrence Messe, William Crano, Yakov Epstein, and Miles Patterson for their critical reading of early drafts of this research.