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Friendly touch increases gratitude by inducing communal feelings
1Centro de Investigação e Intervenção Social, Instituto Universitário de Lisboa Lisbon, Portugal.
Frontiers in Psychology
|July 1, 2015
Summary
Friendly touch significantly increases feelings of gratitude, especially within communal relationships. This effect is mediated by communal feelings, suggesting touch is a key cue in expressing gratitude.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Social Psychology
- Emotion Research
Background:
- Physical touch is a common indicator of close relationships.
- Gratitude is closely linked to communal relationships, but the role of touch is less understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if friendly touch and benefits elicit gratitude.
- To explore the mediating role of communal feelings and liking in the touch-gratitude relationship.
Main Methods:
- Two studies were conducted with female participants and confederates.
- Manipulated communal mindset, friendly touch, and benefit receipt.
- Measured gratitude, communal feelings, liking, and affect before and after the interaction.
Main Results:
- Touch significantly increased pre-benefit gratitude.
- Benefits increased gratitude only in the absence of touch.
- Communal feelings, not liking or positive mood, mediated the link between touch and gratitude.
Conclusions:
- Friendly touch enhances gratitude by fostering communal feelings.
- Gratitude can be understood as an emotion embodied in communal relationship cues.
- Touch plays a crucial role in the expression and experience of gratitude within communal contexts.
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