Projected Social Distance as a Function of Praise Conditions and Status Orientation: Comparison with Physical Interpersonal Spacing in the Laboratory

A figure-placement procedure was used to measure projected social distances which 39 students perceived between themselves and stimulus persons of either higher or lower status. After receiving valid praise from their partners, projected social distances were significantly closer than after false praise (flattery). Male subjects responded with larger projected social distances for false praise than did females. In this condition a clear parallel was obtained between the physical spacing in a laboratory situation and the projected social distances of the figure-placement task.