Nonverbal communication rules and conventions

Non-Verbal Rules
The cultural space that I visited and covered was a state-tour musical concert attended by close to 5,000 people at all concert locations. I showed up on three occasions. The interactions between attendees were lively and varied. Various verbal and non-verbal aspects could be picked up. Some of the non-verbal communication setups I observed included, but they were not limited to, shaking of hands, gestures, hugging, touching, and even facial expressions. Aspects of verbal communication identified were proximity and eye contact. In this discussion, I will concern myself with proximity.
In essence, in non-verbal communication, proximity has got to do with the distance communication participants keep between each other during the conduct of their interactions. In the three concerts I attended, the distance people kept between each other varied. For instance, as the concert commenced, there was an observed shorter distance between friends and people who appeared to be couples. Strangers appeared to keep some distance between each other. However, as the concert proceeded, the distance between persons who appeared to be strangers earlier on reduced. This effectively means that people who are known to each other are likely to keep in close proximity than strangers who just met.
It is also important to note that amongst those who appeared to be known to each other, couples appeared to invade each other’s spaces more aggressively. Everyone else, on the other hand seemed to be conscious of ‘how close was too close.’ For instance, friends, unlike couples, could not be seen standing too close to each other for lengthy periods of time. Proximity also appeared to be regulated by gender. While personal space was often invaded and close proximity often lasted longer for the ladies, men on the other hand were more guarded as far as their personal space and that of others was concerned.
While it would be okay to initiate close contact (even touching) with a friend or intimate partner, it would be inappropriate to enter the intimate space of a stranger with whom one does not have close relations. Further, one ought to be aware of the other party’s comfort level with the proximity initiated. Discomfort could be identified by taking note of the other person’s facial expression and body language. Lastly, in matters proximity, is important to always be aware of the context of interactions. While close proximity could be deemed okay in a crowded place, invading the personal space of a person in a large room comprising of only a few people would be deemed inappropriate.