personal distancen.
/ˌpəːsn̩(ə)l ˈdɪst(ə)ns/, /ˌpəːsən(ə)l ˈdɪst(ə)ns/, U.S. /ˌpərsən(ə)l ˈdɪst(ə)ns/, /ˌpərsn̩(ə)l ˈdɪst(ə)ns/ 1. A degree of remoteness that is either desired or felt to exist by a person between himself or herself and another person; spec. (Sociology and Psychology) = social distance n. Cf. personal space n. 1b.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > psychology > social psychology > group psychology > separateness > [noun]
social distance1830
personal distance1853
1853 J. R. Beard Toussaint l'Ouverture i. iv. 29 He could in no way understand how the hue of the skin should put so great a social and personal distance between men whom God, he saw, had made essentially the same.
1927 Amer. Jrnl. Sociol. 33 100 Regarding individuals apart from their positions as members of various groups (we can do this for practical purposes), the relation between any two can be spoken of as their personal distance.
2003 Tulare (Calif.) Advance-Register (Nexis) 2 Dec. 2 a In some cultures, personal distance between two people having a conversation is disregarded.
2. Personal detachment; objectivity.
ΘΚΠ
the world > existence and causation > existence > extrinsicality or externality > objectivity > [noun]
objectivenessa1676
extra-existence1713
externalitya1790
objectivity1803
outerness1863
personal distance1902
1902 Amer. Jrnl. Sociol. 8 171 Personal distance from the objective significance of the quarrel and interest in its subjective meaning must coexist in order to mark the status of the nonpartisan.
1998 W. E. Pemberton Exit with Honor 18 Optimism, self-confidence, and personal distance were all traits found early in Reagan's life.
This is a new entry (OED Third Edition, December 2005; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1853