Personal space can be imagined as a kind of bubble surrounding a person that protects his or her privacy and which other people may not normally enter. The amount of space people need to feel around them is different in every culture, though British and American people have similar ideas about how much it should be. People from cultures that like a lot of personal space feel awkward and embarrassed when somebody comes too close to them and try to move away; people who need less personal space are often offended when others seem to want to keep them at a distance.
The amount of personal space people need also depends on several other factors. People of the same sex may sit or stand closer to each other than to somebody of the opposite sex. Strangers and casual acquaintances usually need more space than friends and members of the same family who know each other well. But in a noisy street people may need to stand closer than they would normally, simply in order to hear each other. Strangers try to respect each other’s space and not stand too close even in busy places. Some British people avoid sitting next to strangers on buses and if there are lots of empty seats they choose one by itself.
For a private conversation Americans need at least a foot (30 centimetres) between each other, and British people more. Distances as great as 5 feet (1.5 metres) may also seem comfortable. People who are enjoying talking to each other may move in closer during the conversation. Allowing somebody to get very close and enter your personal space may be a sign of trust or love.
British people tend to avoid touching or being physically close to people outside their own family. Americans are only a little more comfortable about touching each other. When people meet for the first time they shake hands and let go quickly and move back. In formal situations they may also shake hands when they say goodbye though they often avoid doing this. Women often greet members of their family with a hug or kiss on one cheek, and may also greet friends in this way. They also hug and kiss each other when saying goodbye. But they do not hold hands or link arms with each other when walking along. Some men are embarrassed about kissing members of the family or children in public. They may shake hands but often simply nod and smile. Men rarely touch their friends unless to shake hands or slap them on the back in congratulation.