COVID-19 and social distancing : a cross-cultural study of interpersonal distance preferences and touch behaviors before and during the pandemic

Croy, Ilona (author), Avsec, Andreja (author), Kavčič, Tina (author), Musil, Bojan (author), Plohl, Nejc (author), Zager Kocjan, Gaja (author), Zupančič, Maja (author)

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to the introduction of unprecedented safety measures, one of them being physical distancing recommendations. Here, we assessed whether the pandemic has led to long-term effects on two important physical distancing aspects, namely interpersonal distance preferences and interpersonal touch behaviors. We analyzed nearly 14,000 individual cases from two large, cross-cultural surveys – the first conducted 2 years prior to the pandemic and the second during a relatively stable period of a decreased infection rate in May-June 2021. Preferred interpersonal distances increased by 54% globally during the COVID-19 pandemic. This increase was observable across all types of relationships, all countries, and was more pronounced in individuals with higher self-reported vulnerability to diseases. Unexpectedly, participants reported a higher incidence of interpersonal touch behaviors during than before the pandemic. We discuss our results in the context of prosocial and self-protection motivations that potentially promote different social behaviors.

• Language: English
• Keywords: nonverbal communication, interpersonal distance preferences, interpersonal touch behaviour, COVID-19 pandemic, cross-cultural psychology, COVID-19, physical distancing, coronavirus
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FF - Faculty of Arts; ZF - Faculty of Health Sciences
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Author Accepted Manuscript
• Publication date: 01.02.2024
• Year: 2024
• Number of pages: Str. 41-69
• Numbering: Vol. 58, iss. 1
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-156369
• UDC: 159.922.4:616-036.22
• ISSN on article: 1069-3971
• DOI: 10.1177/10693971231174935
• COBISS.SI-ID: 173478403
• Publication date in RUL: 22.05.2024

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Cross-cultural research
• Shortened title: Cross-cult. res.
• Publisher: Sage Periodicals Press
• ISSN: 1069-3971
• COBISS.SI-ID: 588821

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: neverbalna komunikacija, preference glede medosebne razdalje, medosebni dotiki, pandemija, kovid, COVID-19, fizična distanca, medkulturna psihologija

Projects

• Funder: ARIS - Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency
• Project number: P5-0110
• Name: Psihološki in nevroznanstveni vidiki kognicije