More precisely, it examines the intimate, personal, social and public distances that have been established. What do we do when someone violates them? Do we enable them or do we react negatively? This theory tells us how we should react to how we feel about the person who is the subject in question. Our readings give examples where sometimes the theory worked and other times it didn't. These failures were illustrated by extenuating circumstances that led the receiver to perceive the person differently than the theory might suggest.