Keep oneself apart. A void seating oneself in such a way as to suggest to a strange other that one wishes to interact. In making one's decision, bear in mind that the distance which signals a desire for interaction will vary according to such simultaneously operating factors as the following. (1) How much seating there is to choose from: If a lunch counter is crowded, one may sit anywhere. If it has only one customer, do not sit next to that person but choose a seat some distance away. (2) One's own sex and the sex of the person one will sit next to: It appears to be the case that whenever the age and sex of two strangers are such that one might appear sexually attractive to the other, the distance required to ensure that no interaction signal is given is greater than if no sexual attraction potential obtains. (3) Whether the person one will sit next to is alone or with others: If the person is part of a group, one may sit closer than if the person is alone. However, if the area is generally empty, sitting close to the group may still be interpreted as "homing in." Factor number (1) must be kept in mind at all times. (4) The use to which the particular public space is put: In a highly task-oriented setting like a library, one may sit closer to another with impunity than in the more sociable atmosphere of a bar. (5) The physical arrangement of the setting and the potential this holds for eye contact: Some settings are arranged so that to sit in a given spot is to be placed in the position of having to look at the person seated opposite. Unless one has some personal prop such as a book or magazine which can be used to cut off the line of vision, such positions should be avoided. The following example suggests the interrelation between one's seating decision and the potential for eye contact:

XREF: Connects to proxemics research by Edward T. Hall on interpersonal spatial zones.

XREF: Connects to proxemics work by Edward T. Hall on personal space and how cultural and situational factors govern physical distance in social interaction.

Lyn H. Lofland, World of Strangers_ Order a…, loc. 906