Proxemics

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The term proxemics was introduced by anthropologist Edward T. Hall in 1963 to describe the measurable distances between people as they interacted. They are body spacing and posture that are unintentional.

Hall pointed out that social distance between people is reliably correlated with physical distance, and described four distances:

intimate distance for embracing, touching or whispering (15-45 cm, 6-18 inches)
personal distance for interactions among good friends (45-120 cm, 1.5-4 feet)
social distance for interactions among acquaintances (1.2-3.5 m, 4-12 ft)
public distance used for public speaking (over 3.5 m, 12 ft)

Hall pointed out that different cultures maintain different standards of personal space. In Latin cultures, for instance, those relative distances are smaller, and people tend to be more comfortable standing close to each other; in Nordic cultures the opposite is true. Realizing and recognizing these cultural differences improves cross-cultural understanding, and helps eliminate discomfort people may feel if the interpersonal distance is too large ("stand-offish") or too small (intrusive).

Comfortable personal distances also depend on the culture, social situation, gender, and individual preference.

A related term is propinquity. Propinquity is one of the factors, set out by Jeremy Bentham, used to measure the amount of pleasure in a method known as felicific calculus.

[edit] Sharia

Under traditional schools of sharia or Islamic law proximity, called Khalwat, is forbidden between a man and a woman who are not married and not mahram. Even just being together in a house, a room, a bathroom, or a secluded place may be forbidden. For example, according to Islamic penal code of Iran; if two men or two women are found naked under one blanket, when there has been no necessity for doing so, they will be sentenced to be whipped less than 99 lashes (only being naked is enough and the judge decides on the number of lashes).