Spatial sensitivity

Heightened awareness of and discomfort with the physical proximity of others or objects, particularly common among autistic individuals and people with anxiety or PTSD. Spatial sensitivity involves strong reactions to violations of personal space boundaries, which can extend to mediated forms of presence such as telepresence robots. When someone approaches a telepresence robot too closely — leaning in to hear, putting their ear to the speaker — the remote user may experience the same visceral discomfort they would feel with an in-person space violation. Understanding spatial sensitivity is important for designing inclusive environments and technologies that respect diverse proxemic needs.