Physical contact has been shown to increase the power of persuasion and sympathy; as well as bringing people together emotionally.
Last update: February 19, 2022
There are countless studies on the benefits of physical contact and almost all of them come to the same conclusion: touch hides many secrets related to well-being. It is no coincidence that it is one of the most developed senses since birth.
Unfortunately, however, today's society leads us to do the opposite, especially in large cities, that is to avoid physical contact. Touch becomes suspicious or annoying. We prefer to stay in touch with others by means of a device, at a distance.
Little at a time, we are losing the precious benefits of physical contact, yet we continue to wonder why psychological malaise is so prevalent in the world.
"The caress calms us, and leads us to a place closer to the earth, to silence and sleep, relaxed, happy."
-Jorge Guillen-
The skin is an extension of the nervous system which is why tactile perceptions almost automatically translate into physiological states of the brain. Skin-to-skin contact affects our well-being and is a valuable source of psychological health. We deepen the subject in the following paragraphs.
Good health, one of the benefits of physical contact
Science has shown that friendly touch causes the skin to send a signal to the brain. This impulse causes a lowering of cortisol levels, the stress hormone, as the main effect. This, in turn, promotes the production of lymphocytes, which are the first line of defense of the immune system.
Similarly, physical contact has been found to increase the production of serotonin, dopamine and oxytocin. These hormones play an extremely important role in promoting the feeling of well-being.
To support this, there is an interesting study conducted on some women suffering from recurrent migraine attacks. Those who had received a massage reported that mere physical contact had been enough to ease their pain.
Another research involved administering an electric shock to some volunteers. Women who held their partner's hand tightly during the experiment experienced a less intense discharge.
Physical contact affects persuasion
Dr Nicolás Gueguen, from the University of Southern Brittany, studied the benefits of physical contact in detail. Through his experiments on him, he was able to verify that a light touch on the arm greatly increases the likelihood of someone accepting another person's requests.
For example, it has been found that waitresses receive more generous tips when they make physical contact with customers. This phenomenon has been called "the touch of King Midas".
Similarly, another study found that people are more willing to offer a cigarette to someone who requests it if they are gently touched on the arm.
Another study, on the other hand, involved a fake poll on the street. The results showed that, in the absence of physical contact, only 40% of passersby expressed an interest in answering. In reverse, with the introduction of a gentle touch, the percentage increased to 70%.
The bond with others becomes closer
Other research has shown that physical contact activates the cerebral cortex. This area controls the feelings of consent and trust. The results indicate that people who interact with others through physical contact are perceived as more honest and trustworthy.
Another experiment verified this differently: after deliberately scattering garbage on the street, passersby were asked to help pick it up. 63% initially accepted, but with the introduction of a physical contact gesture the percentage has risen to 93%. People, therefore, feel more sympathy towards those who make physical contact with them.
In France, buyers of a product rated sellers who shook their hand higher than those who didn't. Of course, cultural variables can cause results to vary significantly.
Physical contact with oneself
The Spanish sexologist Javier Sánchez has instead studied the repercussions of physical contact on oneself. He thus came to the conclusion that strong taboos still exist, especially among women, regarding contact with their genitals. This affects their adult life, leading them to perceive their sexuality as foreign.
In the case of men, however, families often tend to repress and even punish physical contact. They are raised as "tough", and as such they do not need to be caressed. Otherwise, they risk being considered fragile and not masculine; this is also why many men find it difficult to be affectionate.
Conclusions
The benefits of physical contact are so numerous that even the mere fact of caressing oneself is positive. Primates, who have less developed brains than ours, spend 20% of their time touching each other. The following question therefore arises spontaneously: do we really know how to communicate with touch?
