SOCIAL DISTANCE AS A STRUCTURAL FRAMEWORK FOR URBAN SPACEГОРОДСКАЯ СРЕДА

Abstract

This paper presents an interdisciplinary study at the intersection of architecture and psychology, examining social distance as a spatial characteristic capable of organizing the anthropogenic (human-made) environment according to the psychological characteristics of its users. Certain cognitive styles and behavioral characteristics of individuals are used as determinants of morphology. For the first time, quantitative indicators of the prevalence of these psychological characteristics are proposed as criteria for spatial organization, which constitutes the novelty of the work. The aim of the study is to develop an idealized spatial model that establishes an optimum of social distances among actors in the anthropogenic environment. To achieve this aim, a correlation analysis of the percentage ratios of cognitive styles and behavioral characteristics was performed, followed by a categorization of proxemic distances; these steps collectively formed the basis for spatial modeling. The constructed spatial model, as the main result of the work, confirms the hypothesis that the existence of an optimum of social distances requires such necessary conditions as strict quantitative and qualitative filling of space by actors, absence of transit migration, and limitation of communication forms. This work not only determines the trajectory for subsequent interdisciplinary synthesis, but also expands the possibilities for developing the concept of targeted cognitions aimed at creating public spaces that foster self-identification and self-actualization of various groups of urban actors.