Haptics

Touch is the most intimate form of communication

Metaphors associated with touch

keeping in touch.not being in touch

with reality.a touching gesture.using the “soft touch”

on someone

the importance of touch

brush caress clinch cuddle embrace grope handshake high five hit hold hug feel fondle kiss knuckle bump

nibble pat pinch poke prod push reach around rub scratch shove slap spank squeeze stroke tickle

“Touch has the power to repel, disgust, insult, threaten, console, reassure, love, and arouse” (Andersen, 2008)

functions of touchGreeting ritualsComfort, reassurancePositive or negative

affectCommunicating status,

powerConveying the level of

intimacy

Types of touch

FunctionalProfessionalSocial/PoliteFriendship/WarmthLove/IntimacySexual Arousal

touch in infancy Touch is the first sense

humans develop. Touch is essential for

proper emotional and psychological development.

Monkeys raised in isolation from their mothers were maladjusted (Harlow, 1958)

Preemies who are touched grow faster.

In orphanages, untouched children die of merasmus (wasting away) (Montagu, 1978)

Tactile stimulation in the first years of live is necessary for brain development (Gerhart, 2004; Perry, 2002)

context is keyThe context determines

the meaning of touch.◦ pat on the back

reassuring or condescending?

◦ punch in the arm Playful or aggressive?

◦ slap on the butt in sports Okay on the field, not okay

in the locker room.

Culture shapes the meaning assigned to touch◦ two males holding

hands◦ shaking hands with the

left hand◦ a male shaking a

woman’s hand

Who touches whom?

In public places, males initiate more touch than females (Hertenstein, Verkemp, et al., 2006)

In private settings, women initiate touch more often (Major et al., 1990)

Women use more non-hand touches than men (body and leg touches).

Men are more likely to initiate touch early in a relationship

Women are more likely to initiate touch in marriages

More about who touches whom

Overweight people◦ receive fewer touches (Holmes,

2005)

People with disabilities◦ Touching a person’s wheelchair or

other assistive device is inappropriate.

Touch avoiders◦ Some people are apprehensive

about touching and being touched

Touch illiterates◦ Some people lack awareness of

social norms governing touch

Appropriate or inappropriate?

Male Touchers◦male friend◦boss◦ father◦ teacher◦uncle

Female Touchers◦ female friend◦boss◦mother◦ teacher◦aunt

Female Touchees◦arm◦shoulder◦ forearm◦knee◦ face

Male Touchees◦arm◦shoulder◦ forearm◦knee◦ face

Workplace touch

beyond the handshake there are only 4 where skin-to-skin contact is acceptable among co-workers:◦upper arm◦forearm◦top of wrist

Appropriate given the context? Mila Kunis grabbed Justin

Timberlake’s “package” during the MTV awards in 2011.

He returned the favor by grabbing her boobs.

Sascha Baron Cohen, dressed as an angel, “fell” into Eminem during

appropriate political touch? When President

Bush started to give German Chancellor Angela Merkel a shoulder rub at the Group of 8 summit meeting in 2006, she recoiled

In a moment reminiscent of a scene in the Godfather, John McCain hugged George W. Bush.

Putin kissed a 5 yr. old on the belly, explaining it as a spontaneous gesture of affection

The handshakeshake it, don’t break it

types of handshakes

the dead fish the bone crusher lady fingers the swoop in the stiff arm the two-hander the pump handle the saw

Alternatives◦ high five◦ knuckle bump◦ double-handed◦ cheek kiss

The “correct” Western handshake Remember the person’s

name Avoid sweaty palms

(handkerchief) Stand up, walk around objects Look at the person, not at the

hand Make eye contact, smile Don’t shake with your left hand Offer a firm shake, not

overpowering Make full palm-to-palm contact

Avoid vice grips

Save the double-hander for the U.N.

Are you rescuing a princess or shaking hands?

No thumb-wrestling, please

Status, power and touch People with higher status tend to touch more

than those with low status (Henley, 1973) 88% of handshakes, in one study, were

initiated by managers In organizational settings, superiors touch

subordinates more than subordinates touch superiors (Remland, 1981).

Higher status persons have more touch privilege than low status persons (Andersen, 2008)

exerting dominance, control

An airline passenger claims the armrest by bumping another passenger’s arm off.

A standing manager places both hands on a seated employee’s shoulders while saying, “You’re going to have that report for me by the end of the day, right?”

A boyfriend puts his arm around his girlfriend and pulls her in closer to him to signal possessiveness.

Touching people’s possessions—grabbing their cell phone or iPod

Touch and compliance gaining

“Phone booth” study. A confederate intentionally left a coin in a phone booth for another person to find.

No touch condition: When the person found the coin, the confederate approached him/her and said “Did you happen to seem my coin in that phone booth? I need it to make another call?”◦ 23% compliance

Touch condition: the confederate touched the person lightly on the elbow for 1-3 seconds and asked if they found the coin.◦ 68% compliance

Cultural differences in replicating the phone booth study: Touch was most effective in low-touch cultures:

22% compliance for Italians

50% compliance for French 72% compliance for

Australians 70% compliance for

English 85% compliance for

Germans

Touch and compliance gaining Food servers and

compliance gaining Retail sales Bystanders and helping

behavior Incidental touch in a library Touch and requests for

donations

Guidelines make the touch light and

brief◦ A count of “one Mississippi.”

look for signs of discomfort◦ moving farther away,

crossing arms, buttoning coat

limit contact to the shoulder, forearm, elbow, or back.

Don’t touch bare shoulders or backs