PERSONAL SPACE, SEX OF EXPERIMENTER, AND LOCUS OF CONTROL IN NORMAL AND DELINQUENT ADOLESCENTS

• NCJ Number: 48751
• Journal: Psychological Reports Volume: 38 Dated: (1976) Pages: 383-387
• Author(s): S J BECK; T H OLLENDICK
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 5 pages
• Corporate Author: Psychological Reports
• Sale Source: Indiana State University
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

PERSONAL SPACE REQUIREMENTS OF 28 DELINQUENT AND 28 NONDELINQUENT ADOLESCENT MALES (AGES 13 TO 17) ARE COMPARED.

Abstract

THE SUBJECTS, ALL OF WHOM WERE WHITE AND MIDDLE-CLASS, WERE SELECTED AT RANDOM FROM STUDENTS ENROLLED AT A PRIVATE SCHOOL FOR JUVENILE OFFENDERS AND AT A PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL. THE PERSONAL SPACE MEASURE IS THE DISTANCE AT WHICH A YOUTH'S SUBJECTIVE DISCOMFORT CAUSED HIM TO TELL THE EXPERIMENTER TO STOP APPROACHING HIM. THE OVERALL PERSONAL SPACE INDEX CONSISTS OF THE TOTAL DISTANCE REQUIRED BY THE SUBJECT FOR APPROACHES FROM FOUR DIRECTIONS: FRONT, LEFT, RIGHT, AND REAR. THE DELINQUENTS DID NOT DEMAND GREATER PERSONAL SPACE THAN DID THE NONDELINQUENTS. BOTH GROUPS REQUIRED GREATER PERSONAL SPACE WHEN APPROACHED FROM THE REAR THAN WHEN APPROACHED FROM THE FRONT. BOTH GROUPS ALLOWED FEMALE EXPERIMENTERS TO APPROACH CLOSER THAN MALE EXPERIMENTERS. ALTHOUGH THE DELINQUENTS WERE MORE EXTERNALLY ORIENTED THAN THE NONDELINQUENTS, THIS PERSONALITY VARIABLE DID NO AFFECT PERSONAL SPACE REQUIREMENTS. TABULAR DATA ARE NOT INCLUDED. A LIST OF REFERENCES IS PROVIDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--LKM)