The Ultimate Body Language Book

ward were met with resistance it was obvious that the patients would resist the ward remodel. In fact, it
was common knowledge around the home that every piece of furniture and chair “had its place.” A lot
of which had been there, regardless of any logical or functional reason. The conclusions drawn from
the study were less than positive likely because the study involved mentally handicapped patients. In
fact, it was concluded that modification of furniture arrangements was not enough in and of itself to
adequately increasing social interactions. However, drawing on his initial observations from the
hallway, where regular visitors rearranged furniture, Dr. Sommer felt he was onto something important.
His future studies examined visitors interacting in a hospital cafeteria, students in classrooms, children
in public, and a myriad of other social situations. He found that when conversing over a rectangular
table, patterns began to emerge as a function of the shape and proximity speakers had to one another. In
all arrangements it is the nature of the meeting which dictated the spatial “ecology”, he concluded. He
learned that eye contact and distance are the two fundamental concepts governing how we sit, which in
turn affects our ability to exchange information, speak effectively, or even draw lines of division. The
next few paragraphs covers the ecology of round, and rectangular seating arrangements with respect to
reasons for meeting, be it a casual meeting with friends, cooperative sharing of information,
independent working or leadership purposes.