Changing Peer Perceptions and Victimization through Classroom Arrangements: A Field Experiment Yvonne H. M. van den Berg & Eliane Segers & Antonius H. N. Cillessen Published online: 13 September 2011 # Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2011 Abstract The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of an experimental manipulation of distance between classmates on peer affiliations and classroom climate. Participants were 651 10-to-12 year-old children (48% boys) from 27 Grade 5 and Grade 6 classrooms of 23 schools, who were assigned to an experimental or a control condition. Peer affiliations were assessed with peer nomi- nations and likeability ratings before and after the manip- ulation of distance. In the experimental condition, children who did not like each other were placed closer together for several weeks in order to promote more positive peer relations. The decrease in distance lead to higher likeability ratings for children who were perceived most negatively at the beginning of the school year. In addition, a reduction in peer-reported victimization and social withdrawal nomina- tions was found. The results suggest that the classroom seating arrangement can be used as a tool to improve liking among peers and reduce peer-reported problem behaviors in the classroom. Keywords Peer relationships . Sociometric methods . Proximity . Victimization . Primary education For many years scientists have been interested in the associations between humans’ behavior and their environ- ments (McAndrew 1993). Hall’ s(1966) book The Hidden Dimension inspired a growing literature on how people use and shape their environment to manage their social interactions. This literature has shown that psychological and physical closeness are related, and that a smaller physical distance is related to more positive judgments (Altman and Vinsel 1977; Mehrabian and Diamond 1971; Latané et al. 1995; Patterson and Sechrest 1970). While much is known about the effects of personal space on behavior and psychological closeness in adults, few studies have examined these effects in children, for example, in their classrooms (Strayer and Roberts 1997). Little is also known about the effect of changes in distance, specifically in classrooms, on children’ s peer judgments. The goal of the current study was to test the effects of an distance manipulation between classmates on peer perceptions and classroom climate. Association between Physical and Psychological Distance Much of the research on physical and psychological distance is based on Hall’ s(1966) idea of proxemics and Latané’ s(1981) theory of social impact. Hall assumed that people use and shape their physical environment to regulate intimacy and social interaction. The individual is the center of a series of spatial spheres, each with a unique pattern of behavioral and social communication. Hall stated that when persons have more intimate bonds, communication dis- tances also become shorter. In line with Hall’ s idea of proxemics, Latané (1981) considered physical distance as one of three major determinants of social influence. His social impact theory stated that immediacy of a person (psychological, physical, or social) is an essential part of social interaction and influence. Relatedly, intergroup contact theory and the contact hypothesis (Allport 1954; Walker and Crogan 1998) state that interpersonal contact is an effective way to reduce negative peer perceptions, prejudices, and stereotypes. Pettigrew (1998) formulated Y. H. M. van den Berg(*) : E. Segers : A. H. N. Cillessen Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University Nijmegen, P.O. Box 9104, 6500 HE Nijmegen, The Netherlands e-mail: y.vandenberg@psych.ru.nl J Abnorm Child Psychol (2012) 40:403–412 DOI 10.1007/s10802-011-9567-6