私人空间(3/6)

Now, we shall have a close look at how animals deal with space. Animals also react to space and in ways that are predictable for each species. For example, many have both a flight distance and a critical distance. If any creature sufficiently threatening comes within flight distance of the animal, it will run; but if the animal is cornered and the menace continues to advance until within critical distance, the animal will attack. A lion tamer apparently manipulates a lion by knowing to a hair what the beast's critical distance is. The trainer steps across this sensitive boundary and the lion springs at him, landing on the stool that stands between them. Instantly, the man backs off until he's beyond critical distance. And the animal stays where it is, no longer impelled to attack. A human being's personal space bubble represents the same kind of margin of safety. Let a stranger breach the bubble and the need to flee or to strike out usually surfaces immediately.

现在,我们将好好瞧瞧动物是如何处理空间的。动物也会对空间做出反应而且每一个物种的反应行为是可以预测的。例如,许多动物之间都存在飞行距离和临界距离。只要是有足够威胁的生物出现在飞行距离内,它们就会躲开;但是如果它们无处可逃之时仍感觉到威胁在靠近，一旦这威胁进入临界距离,它们就会发起进攻。显然，一个驯狮者只有完全掌握狮子的临界距离才能控制住狮子。当这个驯狮者进入该敏感的边界时，狮子就会扑向他,停在他们之间的凳子上。这时这个驯狮者要迅速往后退直到他不在临界距离内。然后，狮子就会呆在原地,不再进行攻击。一个人的私人活动空间也代表着类似的安全程度。让一个陌生人闯入私人空间，通常第一反应就是要逃离或者出击。