Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 23, 2025
04:27
Using Facial Electromyography to Assess Facial Muscle Reactions to Experienced and Observed Affective Touch in Humans
Published on: March 15, 2019
11.6K
Touch and social support influence interpersonal synchrony and pain
Marianne C Reddan1,2, Hannah Young2, Julia Falkner2
1Department of Psychology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience
|April 18, 2020
Summary
Supportive touch, like handholding, can reduce pain perception and physiological stress responses. This effect is linked to brain activity and interpersonal synchrony, particularly in women, highlighting the role of social connection in pain management.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Neuroscience
- Social Science
Background:
- Interpersonal touch and social support significantly impact physical health, mental well-being, and pain perception.
- The precise neurobiological mechanisms underlying how supportive touch alleviates pain remain incompletely understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of different types of social support (passive presence, gentle stroking, handholding) on pain ratings and skin conductance responses (SCRs).
- To explore the neural correlates of pain reduction associated with supportive touch, specifically handholding, using fMRI data.
- To examine the role of interpersonal synchrony and empathy in modulating the analgesic effects of social support.
Main Methods:
- Study 1: Assessed pain ratings and SCRs in individuals receiving different forms of social support from a romantic partner.
- Study 1: Measured SCRs in the supportive partner and analyzed synchronicity between couples' SCRs.
- Study 2: Re-analyzed existing fMRI data to correlate brain activity with individual differences in handholding analgesia effects.
Main Results:
- Social support reduced pain ratings in women but not men; it decreased pain-related SCRs in both sexes.
- Handholding showed the largest effects, reducing SCRs in both the recipient and the supportive partner.
- Increased activity in valuation-encoding frontostriatal brain areas correlated with lower pain ratings, suggesting a modulation of nociceptive signal value.
Conclusions:
- Social support, particularly through physical touch like handholding, can effectively reduce pain perception and physiological stress.
- Interpersonal synchrony and empathy appear to moderate the analgesic effects of social support.
- Findings suggest that social support may reduce pain by altering the perceived value of pain signals in the brain.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:15Techniques of therapeutic communication I: Active Listening, Sharing Observations, Validation, and Using Touch
7.1K
The history of therapeutic communication can be traced back to Florence Nightingale, who emphasized the importance of developing trusting relationships with patients. She taught that the presence of nurses with patients results in therapeutic healing.
Therapeutic communication is not the same as social interaction. Social interaction has no goal or purpose and consists of casual information sharing, whereas therapeutic communication has a plan or purpose for the conversation. Therapeutic...
Therapeutic communication is not the same as social interaction. Social interaction has no goal or purpose and consists of casual information sharing, whereas therapeutic communication has a plan or purpose for the conversation. Therapeutic...
7.1K
01:30Social Relationships and Well-Being
184
The significance of social relationships in psychological well-being is a well-established area of inquiry within social psychology. Research consistently demonstrates that the presence of meaningful, supportive relationships enhances emotional health, while the absence or deterioration of such connections can contribute to psychological distress. Relationships serve as a foundation for emotional support, identity, and social belonging, all of which are critical to an individual’s overall...
184
01:28Stress Prevention and Stress Management Techniques V
178
A social support system is a structured network of personal relationships that provides assistance to individuals facing various challenges, offering a buffer against psychological and physical stressors. This network may consist of family members, friends, neighbors, colleagues, or other community members who provide resources and companionship. Social support can take many forms, including advice, emotional comfort, practical help, and companionship. Research indicates that these networks can...
178
02:12Relationship Formation
45.1K
What do you think is the single most influential factor in determining with whom you become friends and whom you form romantic relationships? You might be surprised to learn that the answer is simple: the people with whom you have the most contact. This most important factor is proximity. You are more likely to be friends with people you have regular contact with. For example, there are decades of research that shows that you are more likely to become friends with people who live in your dorm,...
45.1K
01:25Importance of Need for Affiliation
215
The need for affiliation is a fundamental human motive that drives individuals to form and maintain interpersonal relationships. This universal drive varies in intensity among individuals due to genetic predispositions and life experiences, shaping it into a relatively stable personality trait. Social inclusion enhances emotional well-being by fulfilling the need for affiliation, whereas social exclusion leads to distress, negative emotions, and cognitive impairments.Psychological and Emotional...
215
01:04Social Facilitation
35.9K
Not all intergroup interactions lead to negative outcomes. Sometimes, being in a group situation can improve performance. Social facilitation occurs when an individual performs better when an audience is watching than when the individual performs the behavior alone. This typically occurs when people are performing a task for which they are skilled.
35.9K