Territory

Theneed to protect and defend a particular spatial area is known asterritoriality, a set of behaviors that people display to show that they “own”or have the right to control the use of a particular geographic area. Inaddition to private territories such as one’s house, a corner in a dormitory, acar one own s or even a newspaper one buys to read, people may have publicterritories that are open to all, such as a table in a library, a seat in suchpublic places as banks, post offices and parks, or a space in a parking lot.

Privateterritories are usually marked by using actual barriers such as fences, walls,flags and signs that say “Do Not Enter” or “Keep Off the Grass”. In contrast,public territories are often marked informally by nonverbal markers such asclothes, books and other personal items that indicate a person’s intent totemporarily control or occupy a given area. However, the marker used as a signof temporary occupancy is valid as long as others respect it. Otherwise,invasion of the particular space may occur.

Culturaldifferences in territoriality can be exhibited in three ways. First, culturescan differ in the general degree of territoriality that its members tend toexhibit. For example, Hall and Hall (1990: 12) have suggested that “people likethe Germans are high territorial; they shield themselves behind heavy doors andsoundproof walls to try to seal themselves from others in order to concentrateon their work. The French have a close personal distance and are not asterritorial. They are tied to people and thrive on constant interaction andhigh – information flow to provide them the context they need.”

Second,cultures can differ in the range of possible places or spaces about which theyare territorial. For example, a study showed that a German’s feeling ofterritoriality may be so strong that it extends to “all possessions, includingthe automobile. If a German’s car is touched, it is as though the individualhimself has been touched.” (Hall and Hall, 1990:10)

Finally,cultures can differ in terms of the typical reactions exhibited in responses ininvasions of territory. Members of some cultures prefer to react by withdrawingor avoiding conflicts whenever possible. Others respond by using barriers orother boundary markers to keep them from the possibility of intrusion. Stillothers react forcefully in an attempt to defend their “possessions” and theirapparent sense of humor.