Agency and research team co-operation: an exploration of human territoriality

The purpose of this paper is to alert researchers and agency staff to potential conflicts that may arise during research projects conducted in busy community-based agencies. Within a framework of human territoriality, key factors in avoiding such conflicts are explored. Territoriality is the defence against intruders of an area of land which is considered to be owned. For humans, something owned includes space, objects, ideas, privileges or rights. Key territoriality concepts explored in the paper are: the private domain, encompassing a privacy retreat and personal space; and the public arena which includes psychological space and action territory. Examples of violation of the types of territory are examined and suggestions for prevention of conflicts are provided.