In real-world conversational groups, interactants adjust their body position and orientation relative to one another in order to see and hear clearly. We use an agent-based modelling approach to compare alternative models for simulating the spatial patterns of conversational groups. The models are based on simple rules that control the movement, positioning, and orientation behaviour of individual agents, which in turn leads to the emergence of agent clusters. We identify which model alternative produces agent clusters with characteristics typical of real-world conversational groups. The centroid-based approach, where agents readjust their position and orientation with respect to the group centroid point, is a commonly used method to simulate conversational groups, but has not been empirically validated. This thesis replicates, evaluates, and validates the centroid-based model in a systematic way. Another model, where agents perform positional-orientational readjustments to see as many neighbours as possible within a 180 field of view, called the field-of-view approach is proposed, implemented, evaluated, and validated. Analysis of the spatial patterns of conversational groups has hitherto mostly relied on visual verification. We, novelly, use a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods to analyse the spatial patterns of conversational groups. Evaluations show that the field of- view model and centroid-based model produce agent clusters with significantly different social, spatial, and temporal characteristics. Validation is performed using a dataset which captures the spatial behaviour of 21 participants for the entire duration of a party. This validation shows that the characteristics of agent clusters resulting from the field-of-view model most closely reflects the characteristics of real-world conversational groups. We also show that a local neighbourhood influence works better than an extended neighbourhood influence to simulate conversational groups. The influence of objects in the environment on the spatial patterns of agent clusters are also discussed.

This study used Michelson's (1976) Intersystems Congruence Model and Hall's (1966) theories of proxemic zones to guide in the investigation of illumination level's influence on proxemic behavior. This study attempted to determine potential influence of the effect of bright or dim lighting conditions on the personal space requirements within the behavioral setting of waiting/reception areas. Both a quantitative approach and qualitative approach were taken with this investigation. To control for various cultural, social, environmental and situational variables as possible, illuminated scale-models were constructed of three waiting/reception area scenarios and a homogenous sample of Americans participated in the study. Subjects interacted with these models by placing scale-figures within them, and answered a series of both quantitative and open-ended questions. Proxemic recordings of scale-figure placements were performed and statistically analyzed. The quantitative results showed that under general ambient bright and dim lighting conditions, there were no significant differences in personal space requirements in the waiting/receptions area behavioral setting. Thus, lighting does not appear to be a determining factor in achieving adequate personal space. The qualitative analysis agreed with these results, noting other factors as being more important, such as, the proximity to others, presence of tables (assuming they hold reading materials), and a view of the entire space. This phenomenon means ambient illumination level does not play a large role in determining proxemic distances between individuals in waiting area settings. / Master of Science

<p>Background: During a house demonstration a real estate agent have the chance to make new contacts which is of big importance to spread the word about the agency and keep up with the competition. If the realtor makes a good impression on the customers, it increases the chance for making the customers return to the same realtor when time comes to sell their own house. The interpretation of this non-verbal communication has been shown to have a fundamental effect on the participant’s perception of the encounter. This makes the study aim regards investigating which non-verbal signals a real estate agent express.</p><p>Purpose: This study has a two-parted purpose whereas the first part intends to point out similarities and differences in a realtor’s non-verbal communication. The other part aim to create an understanding for the consequences a real estate agent’s non-verbal communication can lead to.</p><p>Theory: To fulfil the purpose, theories about non-verbal communication were chosen which brings the expressions kinesics, proxemics, physical appearance and paralanguage into use.</p><p>Research method: As an empirical research method observations were used to study the real estate agents non-verbal communication. Four educated and authorised realtors were chosen to be observed at different house demonstrations. The focus was set on the realtors interactions with the customers.</p><p>Conclusion: Results from the observations point out that there are both similarities and differences in a realtor’s non-verbal communication. Depending on how this communication takes place, which can differ between realtors, different consequences can be pointed out in the interaction with the customers.</p><p>Keywords: Non-verbal communication, Real estate agent, House demonstrations, Kinesics, Proxemics, Paralanguage</p>

Background: During a house demonstration a real estate agent have the chance to make new contacts which is of big importance to spread the word about the agency and keep up with the competition. If the realtor makes a good impression on the customers, it increases the chance for making the customers return to the same realtor when time comes to sell their own house. The interpretation of this non-verbal communication has been shown to have a fundamental effect on the participant’s perception of the encounter. This makes the study aim regards investigating which non-verbal signals a real estate agent express. Purpose: This study has a two-parted purpose whereas the first part intends to point out similarities and differences in a realtor’s non-verbal communication. The other part aim to create an understanding for the consequences a real estate agent’s non-verbal communication can lead to. Theory: To fulfil the purpose, theories about non-verbal communication were chosen which brings the expressions kinesics, proxemics, physical appearance and paralanguage into use. Research method: As an empirical research method observations were used to study the real estate agents non-verbal communication. Four educated and authorised realtors were chosen to be observed at different house demonstrations. The focus was set on the realtors interactions with the customers. Conclusion: Results from the observations point out that there are both similarities and differences in a realtor’s non-verbal communication. Depending on how this communication takes place, which can differ between realtors, different consequences can be pointed out in the interaction with the customers. Keywords: Non-verbal communication, Real estate agent, House demonstrations, Kinesics, Proxemics, Paralanguage

Due to the increase of global flows, people, products and information are moving faster than ever before. Transit stations in turn have largely lost the ability to connect the traveller with the local environment, evolving into bland and homogeneous spaces. By introducing a means to pause within these flows, it becomes possible to once again engage in and absorb the surroundings that have become ignored and disregarded. This study aims to reconnect user and the local context through an interior design of a multi-modal transit interchange. Dance and human movement are used as a methodology to unite user with place, ultimately informing new programs and spatial arrangements. The resulting interior design is able to foster place identity, allowing the user to slow their movements in order to create meaningful social, cultural and contextual connections within a transit space.

Due to the increase of global flows, people, products and information are moving faster than ever before. Transit stations in turn have largely lost the ability to connect the traveller with the local environment, evolving into bland and homogeneous spaces. By introducing a means to pause within these flows, it becomes possible to once again engage in and absorb the surroundings that have become ignored and disregarded. This study aims to reconnect user and the local context through an interior design of a multi-modal transit interchange. Dance and human movement are used as a methodology to unite user with place, ultimately informing new programs and spatial arrangements. The resulting interior design is able to foster place identity, allowing the user to slow their movements in order to create meaningful social, cultural and contextual connections within a transit space.

CoordenaÃÃo de AperfeiÃoamento de Pessoal de NÃvel Superior / Proxemia representa neologismo para designar o conjunto das observaÃÃes e teorias referentes ao uso que o homem faz do seu espaÃo, constituindo-se uma modalidade de comunicaÃÃo nÃo-verbal. A comunicaÃÃo proxÃmica estuda o significado social do espaÃo, ou seja, estuda como o homem estrutura inconscientemente o prÃprio espaÃo. Neste estudo aborda-se a comunicaÃÃo proxÃmica entre mÃe-filho em alojamento conjunto. Faz-se um julgamento comparativo entre binÃmios com sorologia negativa e positiva para o HIV. Como objetivo geral, menciona-se analisar as interaÃÃes entre mÃe-filho durante a troca de fraldas do bebà em alojamento conjunto, à luz dos fatores proxÃmicos. Desenvolveu-se um estudo exploratÃrio, descritivo e quantitativo entre dezembro de 2005 e fevereiro de 2006 em unidade de alojamento conjunto de uma Maternidade pÃblica de Fortaleza-CE, utilizando-se filmagens para avaliar a comunicaÃÃo. As filmagens foram realizadas em sala do alojamento conjunto, durante as primeiras 48 horas de vida do recÃm-nascido, onde se executa a antropometria, a troca de fraldas, o banho e a vacinaÃÃo dos recÃm-nascidos. A populaÃÃo constituiu-se de uma amostra de conveniÃncia de um grupo de binÃmio (G1 n=5), no qual a mÃe nÃo apresenta sorologia positiva para o HIV, e um segundo grupo (G2 n=3) em que a mÃe tinha conhecimento da sorologia positiva para o HIV, antes do parto. Pelas filmagens registraram-se as cenas do momento da troca de fraldas dos bebÃs. Estas foram analisadas por juizes, obedecendo-se o referencial teÃrico de Hall (1986) sobre a comunicaÃÃo proxÃmica. à medida que se observou repetiÃÃo dos componentes da comunicaÃÃo proxÃmica, elas foram finalizadas. Para anÃlise utilizou-se um roteiro previamente elaborado, que constava de fatores proxÃmicos: tom de voz, distÃncia, comportamento de contato e contato visual. De acordo com os dados, encontrou-se associaÃÃo estatÃstica nos fatores cÃdigo visual e tom de voz. Houve concordÃncia absoluta entre os juÃzes no fator postura. Entretanto, dados relativos (%) permitem inferir algumas suposiÃÃes, como as seguintes: a situaÃÃo de troca de fraldas nÃo foi o momento em que as mÃes demonstraram carinho com seus filhos; houve a presenÃa de um nÃmero elevado de interaÃÃes em eixo lateral; o olhar direcionado ao interlocutor manteve margem prÃxima do desviado; a maioria das interaÃÃes encontradas com o eixo sociopeto pode refletir na necessidade de a mÃe ficar prÃxima do filho para a troca e a presenÃa do silÃncio no procedimento. Estudos poderÃo ser desenvolvidos com vistas a ampliar o processo de avaliaÃÃo da comunicaÃÃo nas fases iniciais da vida, pois o conhecimento do processo comunicativo entre mÃe e filho pode auxiliar no julgamento da validade da implementaÃÃo de esforÃos para tornÃ-la o mais saudÃvel possÃvel desde as primeiras horas pÃs-parto, especialmente em pacientes com HIV/aids, os quais tÃm uma histÃria de vida peculiar, marcada por episÃdios dolorosos diante dos infortÃnios da doenÃa e das incertezas quanto ao seu prognÃstico. / Proxemics is a neologism which designates the set of observations and theories relating to the use man makes of his space, comprising a form of non-verbal communication. Proxemic communication studies the social meaning of space, that is, it studies how man unconsciously structures his own space. In this research, proxemic communication between mother and child in shared accommodation is approached. A comparative judgment is made between binomes with negative and positive blood test results for HIV, the general objective being analysis of mother-child interactions during diaper-changing of babies in shared accommodation, in the light of proxemic factors. A descriptive and quantitative exploratory study was undertaken, between December 2005 and February 2006, in a shared accommodation unit of a public maternity hospital in Fortaleza, CearÃ, Brazil, using video footage to evaluate communication. Filming was performed in shared accommodation rooms, during the first 48 hours of life of neonates, in which anthropometrics, diaper-changing, bathing and vaccination of newborns take place. The population comprised a convenient sample of a binome group (G1; n=5), in which the mother does not test positively for HIV and a second group (G2, n=3) in which the mother was aware of positive blood test result for HIV, prior to childbirth. Footage filmed at time of diaper changes was analyzed by judges, in compliance with the theoretical benchmark of Hall (1986) regarding proxemic communication and scenes were finalized when repetition of proxemic communication components was observed. For analysis, a previously-prepared script was used, noting proxemic factors: tone of voice, distance, contact behavior and visual contact. According to the data, a statistical difference was generated for visual code and tone of voice factors. There was absolute concordance amongst judges for the posture factor. Nevertheless, relative data (%) permit inference of certain assumptions, notably: the âdiaper-changeâ situation was not the moment in which mothers demonstrated affection for their children; the presence of a high number of interactions on a lateral axis; gaze directed to interlocutor maintained a margin close to averted; most interactions found with sociopetal axis may reflect need for mother to remain close to child for the change and the need for silence during procedure. Studies may be undertaken with a view to expanding the process of evaluation of communication in initial phases of life, as knowledge of the communicative process between mother and child may assist in judgment of validity of implementation of efforts to make it as healthy as possible from the first hours postpartum, especially as patients with HIV/AIDS have a particular life story, marked by painful episodes in view of the diseaseâs symptoms and the uncertainty regarding prognosis.

This research aims to find distinct and crucial factors needed in order to design a better robot through exploring the meaning of movement. The researcher conducted six-weeks of iterative work to collect data via an ethnographic method. The researcher examined the interactions between a telepresence robot and human beings in an authentic environment through the collected data and analyzed it based on proxemics theory. The research observed that the robot was given social space when it approached the participants with pauses in between movements. Furthermore, the research introduces proxemics pivot and its notion. Proxemics pivot refers to the part of the robot that people perceive as a standard point when they adjust the proximity between the robot and themselves. The proxemics pivot was considered “a face” and was attributed social properties; the other parts of the robot did not receive the same consideration.

Cette thèse porte sur les modalités de transmission du savoir en école coranique. Elle prend en charge l’étude du processus intéractionnel entre le Cheikh et le Taleb. Nous commençons par l’étude de l’évolution de l’action didactique entamée durant les premiers siècles de l’Islam et évoquons l’avènement des textes fondateurs de cette religion, le développement des sciences religieuses ainsi que l’étude des expériences fondatrices de l’éducation et de l’enseignement musulmans. Nous faisons, par la suite, appel aux différentes approches et concepts liés au processus de communication et opérons à l’analyse intéractionnelle de corpus audio-visuels de cours dans nos madrasa-échantillons. Nous ciblons, par cette analyse, le protocole métacommunicatif dans ses aspects non-verbaux et dans sa relation avec le plan proxémique. Nous formulons l’hypothèse que ce système régule l’interaction didactique et considérons que le mode de transmission se présente comme un système sous forme de boucles didactiques Cheikh/Taleb, Taleb/Taleb qui est à la base de la chaîne de transmission. L’intérêt de notre investigation est de mettre l’accent sur le rôle que peuvent avoir des éléments de nature proxémique et des comportements non-verbaux dans la régulation de la communication lors d’un cours. Dans notre conclusion, nous considérons qu’une bonne gestion de ces régulateurs favorise la transmission du savoir et minimise, pour l’enseignant, les risques de déplanification du cours. / This thesis is based on the particularity of the transmission of knowledge in the coranic school. It studies the interactional process between the Cheikh and the Taleb.We begin by studying the evolution of the didactic action started during the first islamic centuries and we evoke the advent of the founder texts in this religion,the development of the religious sciences as soon as the study of experiences that found the muslim education and teaching. Afterwards, we appeal to the different approachs and concepts linked to the process of communication and we study the interactional analysis of the audiovisual corpus of the courses in our Madrasa samples.We target by this analysis the metacommunicative protocol in its non-verbal aspects and its relation with the proximate plan.We formulate the hypothesis which says that this system regulate the didactic interaction and we consider that the way of transmission appears as a system of didactic buckles between Cheikh /Taleb,Taleb/Taleb which is the base of this chain. The interest of our investigation is to put the focus on the role which can have the elements of proximate nature,and non- verbal behaviour in the regulation of the communication in the moment of a course. In our conclusion, we consider that a good management of this regulators favours the transmission of knowledge and reduce, for the teacher the riske of the suppression of the plan of the courses.

A Robótica tem avançando significativamente nas últimas décadas, chegando a apresentar produtos comerciais, como robôs aspiradores de pó e quadricópteros. Com a integração cada vez maior de robôs em nossa sociedade, mostra-se necessário o desenvolvimento de métodos de interação entre pessoas e robôs para gerenciar o convívio e trabalho mútuo. Existem alguns trabalhos na literatura que consideram o posicionamento socialmente aceitável de um robô, acompanhando um indivíduo, mas não consideram o caso de uma equipe de robôs navegando com uma pessoa considerando aspectos de proxêmica. Nesta tese, são propostas várias estratégias de acompanhamento de um humano por um time de robôs social, que são bioinspiradas por serem baseadas em técnicas de inteligencia coletiva e comportamento social. Experimentos simulados são apresentados visando comparar as técnicas propostas em diversos cenários, destacando-se as vantagens e desvantagens de cada uma delas. Experimentos reais permitiram uma análise da percepção das pessoas em interagir com um ou mais robôs, demonstrando que nenhuma diferença na impressão dos indivíduos foi encontrada. / The field of Robotics have been advancing significantly on the last few decades, presenting commercial products like vacuum cleaning robots and autonomous quadcopter drones. With the increasing presence of robots in our routine, it is necessary to develop human-robot interaction schemes to manage their relationship. Works that deal with a single robot doing a socially acceptable human following behavior are available, but do not consider cases where a robot team walks with a human In this thesis, it is presented a solution for social navigation between a human and a robot team combining socially aware human following techniques with a multirobot escorting method, generating four bioinspired navigation strategies based on collective intelligence and social behavior. Experiments comparing these four strategies on a simulated environment in various scenarios highlighted advantages and disadvantages of each strategy. Moreover, an experiment with real robots was made to investigate the difference on perception of people when interacting with one or three robots, and no difference was found.