NCJ Number
13030
Journal
Criminology Volume: 11 Issue: 3 Dated: (NOVEMBER 1973) Pages: 427-435
Date Published
1973
Length
9 pages
Annotation
EXPERIMENT TO DETERMINE WHETHER VERY AGGRESSIVE AND NONAGGRESSIVE FELONS CAN BE DISTINGUISHED BY THEIR SENSITIVITY TO THE PHYSICAL PROXIMITY OF OTHER PEOPLE.
Abstract
IT WAS HYPOTHESIZED THAT THERE IS AN AREA OF SPACE OR BODY BUFFER ZONE (BBZ) AROUND EACH PERSON, WHICH, IF ENTERED BY ANOTHER, PRODUCES ANXIETY. IN THE EXPERIMENT 69 PRISONERS WERE CLASSIFIED AS VIOLENT OR NON-VIOLENT AND WERE ADMINISTERED A TEST IN WHICH THEY WERE ASKED TO INDICATE HOW CLOSE TO THEM THE EXPERIMENTER COULD STAND BEFORE THEY FELT DISCOMFORT OR ANXIETY. ALTHOUGH THE EXPERIMENT DID SHOW THAT BACK BBZ'S ARE CONSISTENTLY LARGER THAN FRONT BBZ'S, IT DID NOT SUPPORT AN EARLIER STUDY WHICH INDICATED THAT THE BBZ WAS DIFFERENT FOR VIOLENT AND NON-VIOLENT PERSONS.