Touch is the primary way people communicate intimacy in romantic relationships, and
affectionate touch behaviors such as stroking, hugging and kissing are universally observed�…

Affectionate touch (eg hugging, handholding) is an essential component of many intimate
relationships and is a primary contributor to overall relationship satisfaction as well as�…

Adult attachment predicts relationship quality and functioning, and physical contact has
important positive implications for close relationships. However, little existing research�…

Although touch is common in romantic relationships and is generally beneficial, people differ
in the extent to which they desire to give and receive touch. The current research identified�…

Affectionate touch is an important behavior in close relationships throughout the lifespan.
Research has investigated the relational and individual psychological and physical benefits�…

Interpersonal touch is intrinsically reciprocal since it entails a person promoting and another
receiving the touch. While several studies have investigated the beneficial effects of�…

Interpersonal touch behavior differs across cultures, yet no study to date has systematically
tested for cultural variation in affective touch, nor examined the factors that might account for�…

Touching is the most intimate way of social interaction and also the first way of
communicating between the mother and the infant. In non-human primates social touching is�…

Affectionate touch is crucial for well-being. However, attachment avoidance is associated
with negative attitudes toward touch. We tested two preregistered hypotheses about how�…

Close physical contact is a defining feature of intimate relationships across the lifespan and
occurs in nearly all kinds of close relationships. However, there are important individual�…