In Latin America the interaction distance is much less than it is in the United States. Indeed, people cannot talk comfortably with one another unless they are very close to the distance that evokes either sexual or hostile feelings in the North American. The result is that when they move close, we withdraw and back away. As a consequence, they think we are distant or cold, withdrawn and unfriendly. We, on the other hand, are constantly accusing them of breathing down our necks, crowding us, and spraying our faces.

XREF: Connects to Edward T. Hall's proxemics framework; this appears to be from a related source on cross-cultural communication.

XREF: Relates to intercultural communication theories and proxemics, Edward T. Hall's work.

Lyn H. Lofland, World of Strangers_ Order a…, loc. 613