Body Language of Encroaching
Cue: Encroaching
Synonym(s): Space Invader, Close Talker (The), Moving In Too Close, Invading Space.
Description: When one person approaches someone else too closely and invades their personal space.
In One Sentence: Encroaching on other people’s space is a sign that a person wishes to increase intimacy or to intimidate.
How To Use it: Encroaching on others spaces can be used in order to build intimacy or to intimidate.
In a dating context, encroaching can be a way to test tolerance to space intimacy. Men can approach women and thereby test their reaction. If a woman recoils in the face of an advance, it’s a sign that she is not interested or prepared for romantic involvement. On the other hand, if she tolerates an invasion of space, the reverse is true. Women can also encroach on a man’s space to test his interest and even test him romantically.
Invading space in dating can also be done with the use of inanimate objects. Lending a jacket to a girl is a way men can move his property into her territory. Acceptance of this intrusion is a signal that interest and trust is developing.
Out of a dating context, men can use encroaching to invade the territory of other men. Usually more submissive men will tolerate the advancements of alpha or dominant men. Men can also use closeness on other men in a more fleeting way to build friendships, but rarely tolerate persistent encroachment. When men wish to bond to other men, therefore, it’s best use in handshakes, pats on the back, and when deep friendships form, hugs.
When encroaching is done to the extreme however, people usually see this as overbearing and a sign of social awkwardness.
Women can use encroachment on other women, as it tends to be more mutually accepted and a way for them to create social bonds.
Context: a) General b) Dating.
Verbal Translation: a) “I’m going to move closer to you so you feel awkward and heed to my power and dominance.” a) “Because I lack social skills I’m approaching you too closely.” b) “I’m feeling your attraction so I’m being drawn into your personal space.”
Variant: See Leaning In and Leaning Out, Becoming Loud, Touching or Increase In Touching.
Cue In Action: a) In an attempt to gain affection, Dave snuggled up to Mary. She was taken aback as she thought of him more as a friend than a lover. She leaned back awkwardly. b) The boss typically pulled people in after shaking hands with them. He was a tall man and used his height advantage to intimidate others.
Meaning and/or Motivation: Encroaching involves standing too close, standing over someone by exploiting height differences, touching when un-welcomed, and even raising voices or the volume of music to violate the privacy and comfort of others.
Encroaching is any body language that takes advantage of proxemics to violate a person’s personal space and territory and create defensive body language in others. When someone encroaches it usually indicates a power play to assert dominance and authority.
Other times it is due to inappropriate socialization, such that a person doesn’t understand the social norms and requirements of other people. People from highly populated areas typically require less personal space than those who live in sparsely populated areas. When city people and country people come together there may differences in personal space requirements causing issues. The person from the city might move in close to create connectivity forcing the country person to step backwards. The person from the city feels rejected and the person from the country feels violated.
Getting close to someone else might also spell romantic interest. When women or men wish to send a strong signal, they will approach each other and enter their respective personal space zones in effort to build intimacy.
Cue Cluster: The cue clusters by which encroachment presents itself will be related to the intent of encroachment as well as the feelings surrounding it. When encroaching, a person will lean in, their head will move forward and their toes will point and extend toward. When being encroached upon, a person will lean out, their head will move back, their toes and torsos will point away and their feet will move back. The context will decide the intent of the message, be it sexual in nature or a power play.
Body Language Category: Arrogance or arrogant body language, Aggressive body language, Distancing or moving away, Dominant body language, Escape movements, Hostile body language or hostility or anger, Negative body language, Threat displays.
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