Bridging or distancing? How social anxiety and outgroup trust influence the regulation of interpersonal distance

This study examined the effects of social anxiety and outgroup trust on interpersonal distance (IPD) regulation among Chinese adolescents (N = 232, Mage = 14.31). Participants completed measures of social anxiety, outgroup trust, and a computerized IPD task. Results showed that low-anxiety individuals preferred greater IPD from outgroup targets, while high-anxiety individuals showed no group-based differences. Participants maintained larger IPD from adults than peers, and high-anxiety individuals preferred greater distance from peers than low-anxiety individuals. Gender effects revealed greater IPD from male than female targets, with a stronger effect for outgroup female. Approach direction also influenced IPD, as participants kept larger distance when targets approached from the back, especially for male targets. Social anxiety partially mediated the relationship between outgroup trust and IPD toward outgroup targets. These findings enhance understanding of how social anxiety and outgroup trust influence proxemics behavior, offering insights into the psychological mechanisms underlying interpersonal distance regulation.