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A personal log method for investigating interpersonal touch.

F N Willis, C M Rinck

    The Journal of Psychology
    |January 1, 1983
    PubMed
    Summary
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    Most interpersonal touch occurs in private settings, especially in personal body areas, with no gender differences in touch rates. Researchers noted a variety of sexual touches were reported in this study.

    Area of Science:

    • Psychology
    • Sociology
    • Human Behavior

    Background:

    • Existing research on interpersonal touch primarily focuses on public settings.
    • Significant interpersonal contact, however, occurs within private environments.
    • Previous studies noted touch in public and private settings but lacked detailed reporting on rates and contexts.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To investigate the frequency and nature of interpersonal touch in private versus public settings.
    • To explore the relationship between touch, setting, and perceived pleasantness.
    • To identify patterns in touch based on gender and body accessibility.

    Main Methods:

    • 76 subjects participated in the study.
    • Participants maintained a detailed log of touches received.

    Related Experiment Videos

  • Logs recorded the toucher's relationship, the setting (public/private), and the pleasantness rating of the touch.

    • Main Results:

    • No significant gender differences were observed in the overall rates of touch.
    • The majority of interpersonal touches were documented as occurring in private settings.
    • Touches involving personal body areas were more prevalent in private settings, and various sexual touches were reported.

    Conclusions:

    • Private settings are the primary locations for interpersonal touch, particularly for intimate contact.
    • Understanding touch in private settings is crucial for a comprehensive view of interpersonal interactions.
    • The study highlights the prevalence of sexual touch within private contexts.