What shape does the personal space bubble typically resemble?

The personal space bubble is often conceptualized as resembling an ellipse, which reflects how individuals perceive and establish their personal space in various social contexts. This shape accounts for the variability in how people distance themselves based on factors like cultural background, the familiarity of the individuals involved, and the setting.

In practice, personal space isn't uniform; it can change depending on the circumstances and the nature of the relationship between individuals. For instance, when people are in close relationships, that personal space may contract (similar to a circular shape), whereas it expands in more formal or unfamiliar interactions, leading to a more elliptical configuration. This tendency illustrates that personal space can be influenced by both horizontal and vertical dimensions, thereby resembling an elliptical shape more closely than a simple circle or regular polygon, such as a square or rectangle.