Visuo-Spatial Manipulation vs. The Shrinking Seat

Evolutionary Adaptions of Personal Space:

Our surrounding environment is monitored by visuo-spatial information gathered by our neuro-senses.
People perceive & act on information from the surrounding environment.
Spatial boundaries provide a buffer layer of instinctual adaptive processing time in order to interpret external actions.
This layer of processing time evaluates eminent threats to our bodies. We need reaction time.

Human beings need personal space!

Airlines have Mastered Visuo-Spatial Manipulation:

Pilot training simulators manipulate space with colorful take-off and landing graphics programs in order to continually educate their crew.
Airport operational ground activities are now in 3-D.
Pilots have in-flight rotating spatial maps in order familiarize the spatial properties of an upcoming landing runway.

Airlines are masterful at manipulated space!

Airlines have also Mastered Visuo-Spatial Manipulation with Passenger Seating:

The Aircraft Cabin Interiors Business in Thriving. These architectural design companies have mastered the science of containing human beings in an aircraft cabin and convincing these people they are comfortable; despite limited personal space, shrinking seat pitch, limited cabin air-flow, and erosion of personal space psychological boundary layers.

Technique of Creating the Illusion of a Larger Air cabin:

Large aircraft windows
Spatial foregrounding
Soft ceiling lights
Diagonal cabin dimensions, not rectangular
Low raise seat backs

New Techniques of Mind Distraction:

In-flight television
In-flight internet
Creative personal lighting
Individual vital sign monitoring

Airlines have not Mastered Human Nature:

Our inherent & evolutionary need for personal space boundaries cannot be de-focused by internet technologies or creative lighting schemes.
Novel cabin architecture tricks cannot invoke spaciousness in all passengers.
The air cabin interior business has hit an inflection point with the flying public.