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Updated: Jul 23, 2025
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Using Facial Electromyography to Assess Facial Muscle Reactions to Experienced and Observed Affective Touch in Humans
Published on: March 15, 2019
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Hedonic and autonomic responses in promoting affective touch
Alessandro Mazza1, Monia Cariola1, Francesca Capiotto1
1Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Via Verdi 10, Turin, Italy.
Scientific Reports
|July 11, 2023
Summary
Caressing a partner is pleasant and calming, reducing anxiety and autonomic responses for the toucher. These effects are stronger with eye contact and in women, highlighting the bonding role of affective touch.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Neuroscience
- Social Interaction
Background:
- Interpersonal touch is reciprocal, with research focusing on touch reception.
- The affective experience of the person initiating touch is understudied.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the hedonic and autonomic responses of individuals promoting affective touch.
- To explore how relationship status, gender, and eye contact influence these responses.
Main Methods:
- Measured hedonic (pleasantness) and autonomic (skin conductance, heart rate) responses.
- Compared responses when participants caressed a partner versus a stranger.
- Analyzed the impact of mutual eye contact and participant gender.
Main Results:
- Caressing a partner was more pleasant than caressing a stranger, especially with eye contact.
- Promoting touch decreased autonomic responses and anxiety levels, indicating a calming effect.
- These calming effects were more pronounced in females than males.
Conclusions:
- Initiating affective touch, particularly with a partner and eye contact, is pleasant and calming.
- Affective touch can reduce anxiety and autonomic arousal in the toucher.
- Gender and relationship context significantly modulate the experience and effects of promoting touch, suggesting a role in reinforcing romantic bonds.
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