Projective assessment of personal space among retarded and nonretarded children

A figure-placement method was used to examine the personal space usage of 60 mildly retarded and 60 nonretarded children of comparable MA. Spatial distance between a self-figure and second figure for both groups was least when the second figure was designated with positive affect, greater when designated with neutral affect, and greatest when the designation involved negative affect. Retarded children used less spatial distance than nonretarded children when the interaction involved a self and teacher figure, supporting Zigler's (1973) positive- and negative-reaction tendency formulation. More space was used by both groups when the second figure was designated as not smart than when designated as smart.