Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 31, 2026
06:41
Assessment of Social Interaction Behaviors
Published on: February 25, 2011
Another evaluation of touch and helping behavior
Nicolas Guéguen1, Jacques Fischer-Lokou
1Université de Bretagne-Sud, IUT de Vannes, France.
Psychological Reports
|April 4, 2003
Summary
Touch can increase compliance, but its effectiveness depends on the solicitor's gender. Bus drivers were more likely to grant a request when touched by a female confederate, highlighting gender dynamics in compliance behaviors.
Area of Science:
- Social Psychology
- Human Behavior Studies
Background:
- The influence of physical touch on social compliance is a well-documented phenomenon.
- Previous research has primarily focused on the general positive effects of touch.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the nuanced effects of touch on compliance in an unusual request scenario.
- To examine the role of solicitor gender in mediating the impact of touch on compliance.
Main Methods:
- 80 male bus drivers were approached with a request to allow a passenger without sufficient fare onto the bus.
- Solicitations were conducted by either a male or female confederate who briefly touched the bus driver.
- Compliance rates were compared based on the solicitor's gender and whether touch was administered.
Main Results:
- Bus drivers who were touched were more compliant with the unusual request.
- This effect was significant only when the solicitor was female, indicating a gender-specific influence of touch.
- No significant increase in compliance was observed when the solicitor was male.
Conclusions:
- Physical touch can enhance compliance, but this effect is contingent upon the gender of the person initiating the touch.
- The findings suggest that social context and gender dynamics play a crucial role in the efficacy of non-verbal cues like touch in influencing behavior.
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