DIRECT RESPONSES TO PEOPLE ON THE SCREEN - TELEVISION AND PERSONAL-SPACE

An experiment was conducted to extend the research evidence concerning direct responses to the realm of social interaction by replicating, i n the context of television viewing, key findings and predictions conc erning the use of interpersonal distance. In the study, 32 subjects wa tched excerpts of television news broadcasts that featured individual anchors speaking to the camera. Apparent interpersonal distance was ma nipulated via viewing distance (close = 10, 24, and 38 inches; normal = 30, 72, and 115 inches) and screen size (small = 10 inches measured diagonally; medium = 26 inches; large = 42 inches). Although results f or the viewing distance manipulation failed to support predictions, as expected subjects watching larger television screens reported more po sitive emotional responses to the people on the screen and the viewing environment and selected a viewing position that represented a smalle r withdrawal from the encounter. Implications and suggestions for futu re research are discussed.