What I have learned

I thought that Haptics was only through feel and human touche, and was blow away when I found that it also can be used through technology. I feel that my group members did truly well and that I was the only one to turn in everything late. I also feel that we all have and can take something back from this project. Other then those thoughts I have learned from each person in my group and found their information on Haptics very useful and will apply these new concepts in everyday life.
Thank you group for helping me and doing such a great job,

Works Cited

Works Cited:

Kenneth Salisbury
Conti demonstrates a haptic interface
Salisbury Research Group
Haptics Community
SensAble Technologies
ForceDimension
Stanford News
Stanford Homepage
Stanford University
Vikas Kamble
Zuidhoek S, Kappers AM, Postma A

Online addresses for works cited above:

http://www.esterline.com/interfacetechnologies/Technologies/Touch/HapticTouchProducts/TouchScreen.aspx
Pic 2- http://news.softpedia.com/newsImage/What-Is-Haptics-and-How-Does-It-Feel-2.jpg/
Helmholtz Institute, Psychological Laboratory, Utrecht University, Heidelberglaan 2, 3584 CS Utrecht, The Netherlands.
online address- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16904136
online address- http://www.psychology-lexicon.com/cms/glossary/glossary-h/haptics.html
online address- http://www.slideshare.net/VikasKamble3/hapticsvikas-kamble

Guiding

"When a person is physically moving, a touch on the body, usually the back, shoulder or arm can guide them in the right direction."

Punishment

Touch can be negative. A slap or a punch sends a very strong negative message (that may well get the message sender into very deep trouble!).

Gaining attention

"When you touch another person who is talking or otherwise engaged elsewhere, they are very likely to turn their attention to you. Touching here is very much in safe areas, such as the arm or shoulder. Saying their name at the same time reinforces strongly this move."

Sex

“The present study examined sex differences in haptic orientation representation using three tasks: a bimanual parallel-setting task comprising haptic orientation perception and motor matching action, and two unimanual tasks focusing on the perception and action elements separately. A verbal judgment task focused on haptic orientation perception: participants were to assign a number of minutes to a felt orientation. An orientation production task required the rotation of a bar to match a verbally presented number of minutes. Although both male and female performance was systematically biased we found that males are more accurate in parallel-setting and verbal judgment of orientation, suggesting differences in haptic orientation perception, in particular. Increasing allocentric reference frame involvement by delaying the action in the parallel-setting task did not affect the sex difference found. In addition to a male advantage over tasks, performance on both unimanual tasks suggests sex differences in lateralization of haptic orientation processing; a dependence on hand orientation was found only for right hand performance in males.”

Social

One example of a typically confusing heptic action is the hand shake. The handshake differs in degrees, length and strength between the various levels of intimacy (or gets completely replaced by more intimate heptic behaviour), and from culture to culture.

Feed back

“The process of authentication or the fundamental skills of communicating and learning can be enhanced with a touch screen that provides tactile or touch feedback. Devices that provide synchronized sound and graphics upon touch are more intuitive, personal and satisfying. Now the predictive sensation of touch and response can be applied to touch screens to heighten interaction and usability”

My thoughts of Haptics and technology

This is a perfect example of our groups Nonverbal Codes, on Haptics. I feel that this gives the reader a good idea and understanding of what Haptics is and how it is used. This is not only for everyday use but also through technology which is a cool and great new concept. I know that for most people this idea of combing the two has not been around for long and is a break through not only technology but also for the idea of Haptics alone. I bet that Helslin would place this sort of Hapitcs as functional.

Heslin (1974) outlines the five haptic categories:
1. Functional/professional
2. Social/polite
3. Friendship/warmth
4. Love/intimacy
5. Sexual/arousal
This is only on function that this idea fallows of Heslin on his idea of Haptics. I also feel that this idea and reason for this technology can also fall under the category as social. This is for the sole reason that computers are made mostly for communication.

Artifact

“Haptic technology simulates the sense of touch -- via computer Tactile interface lets surgeons make 'incisions'; computer gamers feel their golf drives
Anyone who thinks a pinch means they aren't dreaming hasn't tried haptics. J. Kenneth Salisbury Jr., research professor of computer science and of surgery, develops tools that allow people to touch --poke, squeeze, stroke and heave -- the objects they see on their computer screen.
Haptics, the science of touch, lets computer users interact with virtual worlds by feel. Some commercial computer games already benefit from early haptic devices, like the force-feedback steering wheels that torque and vibrate on bumpy driving-game roads. But haptics isn't all fun and games. Scientists use computers to simulate not only the impact of a golf club hitting the ball, but also the springiness of a kidney under forceps, the push of an individual carbon nanotube in an atomic force microscope and the texture of clothing for sale on the Internet.

Graduate student François Conti demonstrates a device that lets computer users feel and manipulate the objects depicted on their screens. This spider-like robot can take tactile "pictures." In the lab of Kenneth Salisbury, professor of computer science and of surgery, Conti and other researchers explore haptics -- the science of touch. Photo: L.A. Cicero

Using Salisbury's haptic technology is like exploring the virtual world with a stick. If you run your stick along a cyberspace sidewalk, it vibrates lightly. If you push it into a virtual balloon, you feel the balloon push back. The computer communicates sensations through a haptic interface -- a stick, scalpel, racket or pen that is connected to force-exerting motors.

"By coordinating the forces that are exerted on your handle or your stick or your stylus or your fingertips, you can make it feel as though you're touching something," says Salisbury.
Touch is an unusual sense in that it goes two ways. Haptic interfaces can communicate the contours of a sculpture, and they can apply pressure to sculpt. SensAble Technologies Inc., a spinoff from work Salisbury and colleagues did when he was at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, commercialized one such haptic interface in 1993. Designers have used it to carve out of thin air products from Nike shoe soles to Chicken Run collectibles.

Salisbury's Stanford lab also uses a haptic interface from ForceDimension, a company co-founded by graduate student Francois Conti. Conti is using one such device to take tactile "pictures." The spiderlike robot handle presses on a surface and records the forces causing deformation. It can then play back the forces it experienced and make a person holding the handle feel like he's poking the surface himself.

Gaming is one of the first applications of haptics that is being realized. Two students in Salisbury's experimental haptics course last spring programmed a forceful version of virtual ping-pong they called "Haptic Battle Pong." Interest in the game caused an Internet traffic jam that shut down the haptic interface manufacturer's website for a day.”

Also in the works is simulated surgery. Just as commercial pilots train in flight simulators before they're unleashed on real passengers, surgeons will be able to practice their first incisions without actually cutting anyone. Simulation for surgical training is a major focus in Salisbury's lab. This work is funded by the National Institutes of Health and Stanford's Bio-X Program.Creating a realistic, interactive internal organ is no easy feat. "It's not just something that you can touch and say, 'OK, it's round and it's squishy and it's got a bump here,' but something that you can then cut and it will bleed, or sew and it will stop bleeding," Salisbury says.

A liver is more complicated to model than is a ping-pong ball. For a ball, all you have to tell the computer is how soft or hard it is, how sticky or smooth, how stretchy, how dense. One value for each will do the trick. But a liver may get stiffer as you stretch it, or be more elastic in one direction than another. A healthy liver may feel nice and slippery, and a sick liver, not. And modeling the organ in real time, so that the image deforms when you poke it and not a second later, runs up against the limits of computing power.

Go ahead -- squeeze the Charmin
Opposable thumbs are the next step in the evolution of computer haptics. Grasping is a much more natural way to interact with the virtual world. In May, postdoctoral researcher Federico Barbagli will travel to the International Conference on Robotics and Automation in Taiwan to present the Salisbury lab's most recent gripper.

The gripper consists of little haptic hats for the thumb and forefinger. With this new two-fingered haptic interface, researchers can pick up a virtual block, and then let it slip controllably between their fingers. That feat requires a degree of finesse, Salisbury says, that simply was not possible before.
The new gripper also has the advantage of being transparent. "A well-designed haptic device is one that makes you feel a contact when you're touching something in the virtual environment, and magically disappears when you're not touching anything," Barbagli says.

Eventually, surgeons will sew virtual stitches with two hands, and virtual surgery will take on an unprecedented degree of realism. "People will really begin to feel like they're holding the tissue and they're tearing it," Salisbury says. "And they'll feel bad about it because they squeezed too hard."
Stanford Report, April 2, 2003

Haptics Functional and Professional

"hap•tics definition
A science concerned with the sense of touch "
This is the definition word for word proved to me my dictionary.com and this is very close but not the same definition that is giving to us and our classroom book. This definition makes a lot of scenes because of the origin, which is provided by the link and paragraph below.
The origin of the word haptics is the Greek haptikos, meaning able to grasp or perceive. Haptic sensations are created in consumer devices by actuators, or motors, which create a vibration. Those vibrations are managed and controlled by embedded software, and integrated into device user interfaces and applications via the embedded control software APIs.

What I have learned

I was very intrigued by the particular topic of haptics, and gained such an interesting perspective after reading all of our blog posts.

I was most interested in "Haptics in Sports", and the ability that we were able to relate this topic to an everyday past time where I could analyze certain sporting events that I watch. With so much verbal communication that drives coaches, athletes, etc., I was happy to find all of the non verbal nuances of the game, that I wouldn't particularly look for in a sporting event.

I also was able to gain a greater understanding of haptics through all of the research articles that my group members had posted. The photos and videos really added another element that will help the reader become more informed through a variety of different mediums.

In closing, I feel that I have a much greater understanding of our topic, and I catch my self being much more of non only my non verbal behavior, but that of others!

What I Have Learned, cont'd

Beginning with Laura's definition from wikipedia, haptics is "the study of touching as nonverbal communication, and haptic communication refers to how people and other animals communicate via touching."

Throughout this blog I have learned so much. We learned that we begin using haptic touch at birth and use it throughout our lifetime. I learned that haptics nonverbal communication differs between men and women and also differs in different cultures. From handshakes to kisses to hugs, these are all forms of haptic nonverbal communication and convey different meanings depending on the settings. Haptic touch can happen in sports, intimate relations, and even our cell phones. In sports, especially high-contact sports, we can see how the players interact with each other nonverbally and the gestures they use. With cell phones, we use haptic technology, especially with touch screen cell phones. I use haptic technology with my iPhone everyday.

Overall, I learned that haptics are key for human exploration in this world. We utilize touch everyday of our lives. This blog really opened my eyes to the different degrees of haptics nonverbal communication. It really is everywhere we look in the world.

What I Have Learned

In my definition of haptics at the beginning of this blog, I wrote that Haptics is the study of touch in non-verbal communication. According to wikipedia, haptics is "the study of touching as nonverbal communication, and haptic communication refers to how people and other animals communicate via touching."

In the subsequent posts by my fellow group members, we discovered examples of touch, and the different areas where we see haptics in the world today. We learned that touch begins at birth, and lasts a lifetime. Anyone who owns a cell phone that uses haptics technology is directly impacted by haptics. We might not have thought about it that way before this blog.

In addition, during this blog and in our studies, I learned that a handshake is a prime example of haptics nonverbal communication. Every time I meet someone at work, I shake their hands while introducing myself. It really is true that you learn something about someone by participating in something as simple as a handshake.

There are other examples of haptics non verbal communication, and how it is approached by people in different cultures, and between genders. I learned how touch is so important to us, and how it begins at birth.  As a Mother, I know how important it was to touch, and hold, my children when they were young. As a result of how their parents approached touch, I believe both of my children approach touch the same way. As a child, I know how comforting touch was when I was much younger, and how it still is comforting as a middle-aged woman.

When I watch a football game, I pay attention to what kind of haptics nonverbal communication is used by the players in the game. Last, I pay attention to how men and women use it in a social gathering.

I believe this blog was a real learning experience because it allowed me to learn about a subject that I use on a daily basis.

The effects of gender and type of romantic touch on perceptions of relational commitment

This study investigated the relationship between intimate touching behaviors and corresponding cognitions of relational commitment as a function of gender. One hundred fifty-two subjects were surveyed regarding perceptions of commitment for seven intimate touches. The 2-way ANOVA revealed significant effects for gender, type of touch, and the touch by gender interaction. Progressively intimate touches were associated with greater commitment. Females associated significantly higher levels of commitment than males, particularly for the more intimate touches. The discrepancy in the level of commitment inferred by gender increases as the touching behavior grows more intimate, resulting in a greater potential for miscommunication across the more intimate channels of haptic communication.

Johnson, K. L., & Edwards, R. (1991). The effects of gender and type of romantic touch on perceptions of relational commitment . Journal of Nonverbal Behavior, 15(1), 43-55.

This study was extremely interesting to see the difference in touch between men and women. Women committing more to the intimate touches came as no surprise. However, I thought it very interesting to see that in the more intimate channels of haptic communication, there is a greater risk for miscommunication, especially between men and women. When men and women are intimate, we are supposed to be able to pick up on the intimate touches and their meanings, not miscommunicate them. I think if we studied more of what men and women do as their level of intimate touch increases, we can eliminate a lot of miscommunication between the two.

Haptics in Instant Messaging

It has been shown in this blog, as well as other studies, that haptics communication is in many areas of our lives. Touch begins at birth, and continues throughout our lives until we die.

In 2004, the reach of haptics extended to instant messaging. In a paper written by the Designed Intelligence Group/Department of Industrial Design/ at Eindhoven University of Techology, in the Netherlands, a Haptic Instant Messaging (HIM) framework was introduced. This HIM framework combines haptic effects, and hapticons with communication of textual messages. In the paper, it was written that, "compared to vision and hearing, haptic information is the most direct and intimate manner of person-to-person interaction". (p. 1313)

During the same project, there was a special instant messaging application that provides opportunities for haptic communication by providing users a way to send messages enhanced with haptic effects. There was an application developed by the MIT Palpable Machines Research Group called ContactIM application. A user can pick a partner to communicate with from their contacts list, and throw a ball onto the other ones screen. This ball will continue to bounce around until the recipient responds. Haptic effects, such as feedback joysticks, are added to the ball, and as a result, you can feel the forces when you catch, throw, or swing the ball.

Last, hapticons can be used. Hapticons are small, programmed force patterns that are used to communicate a basic notion. This is similar to the ordinary icons that you see in any graphical user interface. The University of British Columbia has participated in research in the design, and usability of hapticons.

http://people.cs.vt.edu/~wangr06/touch%20review%20origanization/RovE04.pdf

Lack of Haptics?

During the first half of the 20th century, many psychologists believed that showing affection towards children was merely a sentimental gesture that served no real purpose.

Behaviorist John B. Watson once even went so far as to warn parents, "When you are tempted to pet your child, remember that mother love is a dangerous instrument." According to many thinkers of the day, affection would only spread diseases and lead to adult psychological problems.

In a series of controversial experiments conducted in 1960s, Harlow demonstrated the powerful effects of love. By showing the devastating effects of deprivation on young rhesus monkeys, Harlow revealed the importance of a mother's love for healthy childhood development. His experiments were often unethical and shockingly cruel, yet they uncovered fundamental truths that have heavily influenced our understanding of child development.

Here, the lack of touch can cause determent to a newborn child, and affect the way they read and react to other children as they grow up. The lack of touch can sometimes be more harmful to ones mind, than appropriate “over touching.”

Cherry, Kendra "The Science of Love: Harry Harlow & the Nature of Affection"

"It Just Feels Good"

Prior research has assumed that touch has a persuasive effect only if it provides attribute or structural information about a product. Under this view, the role of touch as a persuasive tool is limited. The main purpose of this research is to investigate the persuasive influence of touch as an affective tool in the absence of useful product-related information. The authors find that for people who are motivated to touch because it is fun or interesting, a communication that incorporates touch leads to increased affective response and increased persuasion, particularly when the touch provides neutral or positive sensory feedback. People who are not motivated to touch for fun will also be persuaded by a communication that incorporates touch when they are able to make sense of how the touch is related to the message. The authors explore the effectiveness of different types of touch in generating an affective response, and they replicate the effects on attitudes and behavior in a real-world setting. This research suggests that the marketing implications of touch are more substantial than previously believed. The authors present research implications for direct marketing, product packaging, point-of-purchase displays, and print advertising.

Touch can be used as a persuasive tool, in terms of marketing and getting a response from a potential consumer. This article was able to prove that persons to are more motivated by touch because it is "fun and interesting" (Peck 1) are more apt to be persuaded by a particular product or service. I feel that I can agree with this judgement personally, because I feel more apt to purchase something when my blood is flowing, and I am in an active mood.

http://www.journals.marketingpower.com/doi/abs/10.1509/jmkg.70.4.56?journalCode=jmkg

The Many Aspects of Touch

Touch is apparent in many different areas of society. Touching is common in rituals in different cultures. The most common of these rituals is in greeting, and departure. Something as simple as a handshake can have a different meaning from one culture to another.

Another area where touch is apparent is when people show approval. This is done by patting someone on the back, or hugs. Another way people use touch is when they are attempting to dominant another. This is common between men. Again, something as simple as a handshake can indicate an attempt to demonstrate strength by causing pain, or dominance. This is indicated when someone grabs the other person's hand firmly, and shakes vigorously.

Another indication is when someone participates in what is known as a vice grip. This could be an indication of someone wanting to demonstrate strength by causing pain. It has been said that, if you do not let go within a certain amount of time when shaking hands, you are attempting to take control.

Touch can also indicate sympathy, and intimacy. This is indicated through brief touching of the back, arm, or shoulder. This type of touch also indicates friendship. Prolonged hugging is also an indication of sympathy, and friendship. The kind of touching indicating sympathy is sometimes dependent upon how close the participants are to one another. Prolonged hugging, or crying on someone's shoulder, is usually reserved for women with women, close friends, or partners.

A study by Gueguen and Fischer-Lokou (2003) indicated that a person was strongly influenced when there was touching during a conversation with another person. In addition, during this same study, it was shown that restaurant diners are more satisfied, and give larger tips, when they are touched by the wait staff. Also, if a man touched a woman on the arm, a woman was more willing to give him her phone number when he asked.

A different study (Schirmer, 2011) found that empathy is increased even when someone is touched by a machine. The bonding effect of touch has been shown to have many benefits. Among those benefits is a greater likelihood of honesty, romance, listening, empathy, and the willingness to help another person.

Last, in a study by Vaidis and Halimi-Falkowicz (2008), it was shown that the extent, repetition, and strength of a touch can have an "amplifying" effect on the other person's decision. This was shown when they asked people on the street to participate in a questionnaire. Those who were touched twice were shown to be more likely to agree to complete the questionnaire.

Haptics Adds New Dimensions to Touchscreens

Think of vibrate mode on a cell phone, or videogame controllers rumbling when a linebacker blindsides a quarterback. Levin is the chief sales and marketing officer of Pacinian of Spokane, Wash., one of many haptics startups to appear in recent years. In the near future, these companies plan to give smartphones and tablets new powers. Imagine videogame guns that deliver a kick to your hand when fired, just like the real thing; virtual guitars with strings that feel real; buttons and knobs that actually grow out of touchscreens.

The most mind-blowing brand of haptics may come from a Silicon Valley startup called Tactus Technology. In a pair of patent applications, the company's executives describe a touchscreen display capable of growing a keyboard out of its surface. Seriously. You go to type an e-mail, and a keyboard rises up slightly out of the display, allowing your fingers to feel the edges of the letters, numbers, and symbols. When you're done, the keyboard recedes back into the surface. To play a game, controller knobs and buttons emerge.

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/11_26/b4234043549730.htm

CROSS-CULTURAL/INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATION- Haptics in the Business World

Haptics or touching behavior also reflects cultural values. In a generally nonhaptic society such as Japan, touching another person in a business setting even with a handshake is traditionally considered foreign. While those Japanese familiar with U.S. handshaking may adapt to its use, one can expect that such cultural compromise would not easily extend to so haptic a response as a pat on the back.

The United States itself is a fairly nonhaptic society, particularly between men. In many cultures that behave more haptically, men often walk with arms interlinked or hold hands which to U.S. males might appear effeminate or overly intimate.

Read more: Cross-Cultural/International Communication http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/encyclopedia/Cos-Des/Cross-Cultural-International-Communication.html#b#ixzz1f93SgM1k

I find it extremely interesting that the Japanese are unfamiliar with handshakes in a business setting. In the US, handshakes seem like common courtesy, and show signs of respect. I also thought it was interesting that men in many cultures will link arms or hold hands with another man. This kind of touch would never happen in America.

Post game Celebration

Attached is a photo from a CHL game in 2007 from the Rocky Mountain Rage. I was able to play in this game, and I feel that it portrays a good interpretation of haptics in sports, focusing on the amount of touch that occurs in a post game victory.

-Photo courtesy Hector Acevedo.

Hockey Haptics

To follow up on Laura's post about haptics in sports, I would like to add some personal insight about this topic in relation to ice hockey. The "handshake" ranks second in the top 15 best traditions in sports, according to the bleacherreport.com, a pop culture sports website. Although many athletes will congratulate one another after a win, regardless of the type of sport, hockey is slightly different. During the 82 game regular season, this tradition does not take place. It is only after the end of each grueling playoff round, does this unwritten tradition happen. As Bryan Sakakeeny writes,"What's great about this tradition is that fans often label hockey players as barbarians or grizzly men. Yet we have LeBron James storming off the court like a baby a couple of years ago, and numerous NFL coaches refusing to shake hands every season.

Here we have these hulking hockey players having the class series in and series out to shake their opponents hand and show their true appreciation for the sport, and the other teams' efforts" (Sakakenny).

Having been fortunate enough to play a handful of semi pro hockey games in the CHL, I can attest firsthand to the commitment and sincerity of this tradition. These players, although playing at a level lower than the NHL, respect the game just as much as a NHL professional, and treat the handshake with the utmost amount of respect and professionalism. As we have learned in the text, a simple handshake can mean so much more that its physical act, and speak volumes about non verbal communication.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/430099-the-best-traditions-in-all-of-sports

Massage Therapy in Infants

It has been shown in various studies, and our textbook, that touch is very important in the development in infants. Another area where touch has been shown to be beneficial to the development is through massage therapy in preterm, and full-term, infants.

The Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami, School of Medicine held several studies regarding massage therapy on infants. It was demonstrated that massage therapy after only five days, had positive effects on weight gain in preterm newborns.
In another study, full-term newborns were given massages in the first month after birth. It was found that those infants gained more weight, and more length. They also performed better on the Brazelton Neonatal Behavior Assessment Scale. Another benefit of massage on infants is the reduction of sleep disturbances.

So, why is massage such a benefit to newborns? It is believed that the vagus, which is one of the 12 cranial nerves, has widespread branches to numerous organs in the body, including the gastrointestinal tract. It is believed that the vagus helps release food absorption hormones, such as glucose, and insulin. It is also believed to increase gastric motility, or movement of the wall that helps to accelerate food absorption. This gastric activity is enhanced by massage therapy, and is believed to be a contributing factor in weight gain in preterm infants.

Work Citations

Knapp & Hall, 1982

Major (1981, as cited in

Willis & Briggs, 1992)

Watson and Graves (1966, as

cited in Remland, Johns &

Brinkman, 1991)

Remland & Jones, 1995

Barnlund (1975, as cited in

Knapp & Hall, 1992)

Watson and Graves (1966, as

cited in Remland, Johns &

Brinkman, 1991),

(Harlow, 1958, as cited in

Gallace & Spence, 2010)

(Hickson & Stacks, 1993;

Knapp & Hall, 1992

Moszkowski RJ, Stacks DM

(2007) Infant touching

behaviour during mother-

infant face-to-face

interactions. Infant & Child

Dev 16: 307–319

http://people.cs.vt.edu/~wangr06/touch%20review%20origanization/RovE04.pdf, p 1313

Enriquez, M.J, MacLean, K.E. The Hapticon Editor: A

Tool in Support of Haptic Communication Research,

Proc. 11th Symposium on Haptic Interfaces for Virtual

Environment and Teleoperator Systems, IEEE (2003)

Videos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=8CkJJWSSIwQ&feature=player_

embedded

http://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=LtUHkP8GORo&feature=player_

embedded

http://www.youtube.com/watch?

feature=player_embedded&v=X8_

zQ6knBgc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=I58pU73AAww&feature=results

_video&playnext=1&list=PLE88D

B8B028C63B58

http://l1.yimg.com/a/i/ww/new

s/2011/10/22/extra.jpg

http://research.ua.edu/2001/0

8/study-suggests-firm-

handshakes-and-good-

impressions-really-do-go-

hand-in-hand/

Books & Journals:

The Touch Research Institute, Touchpoints, Vol. 16 No.4, Page 1

Hargie & Dickson (2004), and Wood (2004)

Gueguen, N., Fischer-Lokou (2003). Tactile Contact and Spontaneous Help: An Evaluation in a Natural Setting, Journal of Social Psychology, 143(6), 785-787

Johnson, K. L., & Edwards, R. (1991). The effects of gender and type of romantic touch on perceptions of relational commitment . Journal of Nonverbal Behavior, 15(1), 43-55.

Peck, J,Wiggins,J. (2006). It Just Feels Good: Customers' Affective Response to Touch and Its Influence on Persuasion. Journal of Marketing. 70(4), 56-69.

Pedersen, P., Miloch, K. S., & Laucella, P. C. (2007). Strategic sport communication. Leeds: Human Kinetics.

Schirmer, A., Teh, K., Wang, S., Vijayakumar, R., Ching, A., Nithianantham, D., Escoffier, N., and Cheok, A. (2011). Squeeze me, but don't tease me: Human and mechanical touch enhance visual attention and emotion discrimination. Social Neuroscience, 6 (3), 219-230

Vaidis, D.C. and Halimi-Falkowicz, S.G. (2008). Increasing compliance with a request: two touches are more effective than one. Psychological Reports. 103(1), 88-92.

Websites:

Cherry, �. (n.d.). Harry Harlow and the Nature of Love - Classic Studies in Psychology. Psychology - Complete Guide to Psychology for Students, Educators & Enthusiasts. Retrieved December 6, 2011, from http://psychology.about.com/od/history

CROSS-CULTURAL/INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATION. (n.d.). Reference For Business. Retrieved December 6, 2011, from www.referenceforbusiness.com/encyclopedia/Cos-Des/Cross-Cultural-International-Communication.html#b#ixzz1f93SgM1k

LDLD: Cambodia. Cultural Differences. NonVerbal Communication.. (n.d.).ELL Assessment for Linguistic Differences vs. Learning Disabilities. Retrieved December 6, 2011, from http://ldldproject.net/cultures/cambodia

Rovers, A., & Essen, H. v. (n.d.). HIM: A Framework for Haptic Instant Messaging. People Edu. Retrieved December 6, 2011, from people.cs.vt.edu/~wangr06/touch%20review%20origanization/RovE04.pdf

RUDAVSKY, S. (n.d.). OASIS @ MAAP - The Online Asperger Syndrome Information and Support Center .OASIS @ MAAP - The Online Asperger Syndrome Information and Support Center . Retrieved from http://aspergersyndrome.org

Sakakeeny, B. (n.d.). The 15 Best Traditions In Sports | Bleacher Report. Bleacher Report | Entertaining sports news, photos and slideshows. Retrieved December 6, 2011, from http://bleacherreport.com/articles/430099-the-best-traditions-in-all-of-sports

Vance, A. (n.d.). Haptics Adds New Dimensions to Touchscreens - BusinessWeek. Businessweek - Business News, Stock Market & Financial Advice. Retrieved December 6, 2011, from http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/con

Tactile Perception in Adults

with Autism: a

Multidimensional

Psychophysical Study,Carissa

Cascio, Francis McGlone,

Stephen Folger, Vinay Tannan,

Grace Baranek, Kevin A.

Pelphrey, and Gregory

Essick,Carissa Cascio, Center

for Neurodevelopmental

Disorders Research,

University of North Carolina,

Chapel Hill

onlineacademics.org

http://www.esterline.com/interfacetechnologies/Technologies/Touch/HapticTouchProducts/TouchScreen.aspx
Pic 2- http://news.softpedia.com/newsImage/What-Is-Haptics-and-How-Does-It-Feel-2.jpg/

Helmholtz Institute, Psychological Laboratory, Utrecht University, Heidelberglaan 2, 3584 CS Utrecht, The Netherlands.

online address- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16904136
online address- http://www.psychology-lexicon.com/cms/glossary/glossary-h/haptics.html
online address- http://www.slideshare.net/VikasKamble3/hapticsvikas-kamble

Haptics-Gender Differences

In the Knapp and Hall study of 1982, the idea that gender differences in nonverbal communication, was addressed. It was stated that "gender roles are collections of attitudes, behaviors and traits assumed to be desirable for each sex". In addition, it was stated that they are reflected even in the the early-appearing nonverbal variations in life. In our society, the male sex roles include task orientation, assertiveness, dominance, autonomy, and dominance. Empathy,nurturing, gentleness, and interpersonal orientation are prescribed for the female (Knapp & Hall, 1982). It is important for men and women to behave as a woman or man is expected to behave. (Knapp & Hall, 1982). In another study, Major (1981, as cited in Willis & Briggs, 1992) came to the conclusion "that men are more likely to initiate touch in opposite-gender encounters"

An Exploratory Study of Touch Zones in College Students on Two Campuses by Mark Tomita

Abstract:

The purpose of this exploratory study was to characterize college student beliefs about where it is acceptable to touch and be touched by other students in casual social interactions. Undergraduate students at a residential university (N = 242) and at a local community college (N = 200) completed the Touch Survey. The survey measures beliefs about touching in social interactions. Hierarchical cluster analyses were used to form touch zones (Public, Discretionary, and Private) by gender and direction of touch. The results of the study showed distinct same- and opposite-gender touch zone patterns, and there were touch zone differences between the two campuses. There were reciprocal touch zones for residential university male/male public touch zones and female/female private touch zones. There were no reciprocal touch zones for the community college sample. Implications for college health educators are discussed.

What is Social Touching?

First, social touch is usually bi-directional and not unidirectional. Second, the classification systems used to differentiate touching on various body parts have either been too cumbersome for use in health promotion programs (Hutchinson and Davidson, 1990; Jourard, 1966; Nguyen, Heslin, and Nguyen, 1975; Rosenfeld, Kartus, and Ray, 1976) or the method of categorizing touch by body areas were not well defined (Willis and Rinck, 1983). Third, most touch studies have involved field observations of dyads (DiBiase and Gunnoe, 2004; Guerrero & Andersen, 1991; Hall and Veccia, 1990; McDaniel & Andersen, 1998; Regan, Jerry, Narvaez, Johnson, 1999), including studies of athletes (Kneidinger, Maple, Tross, 2001). Other studies are based on self- reports of actual touching by more intimate interactions (family members, partners, or close personal friends), and not touching in casual social interactions. The type of touching that occurs in casual social interactions are not the same as those in more intimate interactions. Fourth, although constructs such as body accessibility (Jourard, 1966) are useful in sexual harassment prevention programming, it does not provide a broader theoretical framework to explain why some touches may be misunderstood as sexually harassing. The studies below are discussed within the context of these four issues.

Results:

The results of the study revealed that touch zones varied according to the gender of both parties. Same-gender touch beliefs differed markedly between males and females. Male student beliefs about touching other males resulted in the largest private touch zone with the smallest discretionary touch zone (Public 17%, Discretionary 6%, Private 71%). T omita and colleagues suggested that the small male/male discretionary touch zone indicated well-defined and more rigid cultural beliefs about where males should touch other males. In other words, males, regardless of culture, know where it is acceptable and unacceptable to touch other males, and that there are very few shades of gray. The female/female touch beliefs were more evenly distributed than male/male (Public 29%, Discretionary 26%, Private 46%), but the large private touch zone was an unexpected finding since women traditionally are believed to use more touch when interacting socially. Opposite-gender touch beliefs also differed markedly. Male student beliefs about touching females (Public 11%, Discretionary 69%, Private 20%) revealed a large discretionary touch zone (belief that the body part may be touched under certain circumstances). T omita et al. (2000) speculated that the large male/female discretionary touch zone may indicate a situation where there may be misunderstandings if, based on culture, a woman may not agree that the body parts are touchable, even in certain situations. An alternate interpretation of the touch zone findings is that men are cautious about touching women in casual relationships because their touches may be misinterpreted as sexually harassing behavior. Note that the public touch zone is very small (11%), indicating that men considered very few body parts to be public, and the discretionary touch zone is very large, indicating that two thirds of body parts are believed to be touchable only in certain circumstances and with caution. The female/male beliefs (Public 23%, Discretionary 40%, Private 37%) differed from the male/female beliefs where the touch zones were more evenly distributed. The public touch zone was more than twice the size of the male/female public touch zone.

A significant finding in this study was the residential university female beliefs about touching males and being touched by males. Female research participants believed it was acceptable to touch nearly twice the number of body parts (ratio 1.78) in the public touch zone on a male than it was acceptable for a male to touch her (Appendix C Figure 1A). In the private touch zone, nearly four times the number of body parts was off limits to males touching her than her touching males (private touch zone ratio .26). This public and private touch zone patterns were contrary to what was found with the community college sample, and from any male/female touch zones (see Appendix C). The community college female/male public touch zone was .59 and private touch zone ratio was 2.87, indicating more openness to touch in the public touch zone and more guarded touch beliefs about touching men in body parts that could be interpreted as private. The residential university female/male findings will need further study because it was the only opposite-gender finding that went counter to all other groups.

Touch in Cultures

In the Remland and Jones study of 1995, it was found that in England, France, and the Netherlands, touching was less common than it was in Italy, and Greece.

In research done by Shuter (1977) the nonverbal behaviors of Germans, Italians, and individuals from the United States were compared. From this study, it was indicated that Italians displayed a significantly higher level of tactile activity. Touch between German pairs and American couples varied only slightly. It was indicated in laboratory conditions by Watson and Graves (1966, as cited in Remland, Johns & Brinkman, 1991), that Americans, English, and Australians were much less tactile than were Arabs and Middle Easterners. Barnlund (1975, as cited in Knapp & Hall, 1992) conducted a comparative study of American and Japanese touching patterns using 120 college students in each culture. The results from this study indicated that the amount of tactile contact reported in the United States was twice that reported by Japanese.

In addition to the studies above, on the http://ldldproject.net/cultures/cambodia/differences/nonverbal.html website, differences in how the Cambodian and American cultures approach touch were addressed.

In the Cambodian culture, kissing, hugging, and shaking hands are not common. Public affection between men, and women, does not occur. It is not appropriate to touch someone's head, or face, because it is considered to be sacred. When greeting another person, one bows, and brings their hands together in a prayer-like motion. As a sign of friendship, members of the same sex hold hands. Last, it is not assumed that a smile is a sign of agreement, or happiness. In fact, laughter in some situations can be viewed as being inappropriate. However, it can also be a sign of nervousness.

In the American culture, kissing is reserved for intimacy, and family. Touching is usually avoided. The most common form of greeting is a handshake. Smiles in the American culture is usually a sign of happiness, and agreement.

On the http://ldldproject.net/cultures/cambodia/differences/nonverbal.html website,
another example is how people in Brazil use haptics. Touch is very common in Brazil. Kissing is very common among acquaintances, family, and friends. In addition to kissing, holding hands, embracing, patting, and hugging are all common forms of greeting.

They shake hands when saying goodbye, and in greeting. When departing a small group of people, Brazilians believe it is important to shake everyone's hand. Women greet each other by placing their cheeks together, and kissing the air. If men are well acquainted, they will give a slight slap on the shoulder, or on the stomach, as well as shake hands. In addition, men might give a pat on the back when greeting someone.

Why is it more common in some countries, but not in others? Why is it important for us to know the differences?

Videos

The videos that were posted earlier are examples of how early in life we participate, and depend, on touch. The videos showed how touch is important through different stages of early life. Touch expresses warmth, love, and immediacy. Our first lessons in loving come through cuddling and caressing during infancy (Harlow, 1958, as cited in Gallace & Spence, 2010)

Studies have shown that touch is an important part of our life. It begins in infancy, and lasts until our death. In a study by Moszlowski and Stack, touch is a "vital means through which infants self-regulate, and explore their surroundings".

Touch is the first of the five human senses to develop, and it provides us with our most fundamental means of contact with the external world (Hickson & Stacks, 1993; Knapp & Hall, 1992). Touching others plays a very important role in our early social interactions. Newborns gain knowledge of the world around them through tactile expressions (Knapp & Hall, 1992).

cite: Moszkowski RJ, Stacks DM (2007) Infant touching behaviour during mother-infant face-to-face interactions. Infant & Child Dev 16: 307–319

Hugging Cousins - Toddlers Show US How

Communication

3 yr old love

Haptics in sports celebrations

In the book, "Strategic Sport Communication" (Paul Mark Pedersen, Kimberly S. Miloch & Pamela C. Laucella, p. 106), haptics was applied to sports. The work of Hargie & Dickson (2004), and Wood (2004) was used when it is stated that "in sports there are handshakes and embraces". These occur when meeting at mid-court, or on the 50 yard line for the coin toss. After a game, the coaches, and players usually leave the field after shaking the hands of their opponent. Sometimes, after a game, the players will even hug their opponent, or slap them on the shoulder, or back.

Instead of the fist bump, or "high five" of the past, a common way to celebrate a good play, or score, in sports is the chest bump. In the following video, a pro basketball player celebrates a score by chest bumping his teammates.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I58pU73AAww&feature=results_video&playnext=1&list=PLE88DB8B028C63B58

Another example of haptics in sports

Handshakes-A Study

A handshake is an example of haptics nonverbal communication. According to a study by students at the University of Alabama, (http://research.ua.edu/2001/08/study-suggests-firm-handshakes-and-good-impressions-really-do-go-hand-in-hand/), participants were rated in eight areas: grip, temperature, dryness, strength, duration, vigor, texture of skin, and eye contact.

According to Professor Chaplin at the University of Alabama, having a firm handshake is very important in making a good first impression. In addition, a woman with a firm handshake is evaluated as just as positive as a man. The study also showed that a woman with a firm handshake was deemed to be more open than a woman with a weak handshake. Those with firm handshakes are considered to be extroverted, and emotionally expressive.

Therefore, if you want to give a good first impression, have a firm handshake!

Haptics in Autism

My son has Asperger's Syndrome, which is in the Autism spectrum. Therefore, I was curious to see what role haptics has with that syndrome.

On the asperger, org website, it is stated that one of the signs of autism/asperger's, is a sensitivity to touch (aspergersyndrome.org). In addition, on the autism-help.org website, it is stated that one of the characteristics of Asperger's is "Avoidance or over reaction to touch".

There was a study at the University of North Carolina (Tactile Perception in Adults with Autism: a Multidimensional Psychophysical Study,Carissa Cascio, Francis McGlone, Stephen Folger, Vinay Tannan, Grace Baranek, Kevin A. Pelphrey, and Gregory Essick,Carissa Cascio, Center for Neurodevelopmental Disorders Research, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill) that reported that some individuals with autism were unable to tolerate a pat on the back, or a well-meaning hug. As a result of their study, it was found that those with autism are highly sensitive to touch on the forearm, and to heat.

Despite this study, and what is stated on both the autism-help, and aspergersyndrome websites, I can say that my son doesn't exhibit the same kind of tactile sensitivity. He has always liked to be hugged, and even as an adult, will still hold your hand.

I Lost My Mom

I lost my mother in June of 2011. My Dad, brothers, and I were with her when she passed. As we were spending our last hours with her, we would hold her hand, stroke her head, and place our hands on her arms. Before she lost consciousness, her pastor came to see her. He placed his hand on her, and spoke to her. The hospice nurse told us after he left that after she "shut it down". He brought spiritual comfort, but his touch brought her some physical comfort.

When she was in her last hours, she wasn't conscious, but our studies have told us that touch is the last thing we lose as we are dying. That thought gives me a lot of comfort. I know it made me feel better to touch her in her last hours. I miss that touch. She would hold me in her lap when I was young, and comfort me with hugs when I got too big, and old, to hold. She wasn't very demonstrative, but she brought such comfort to me, and my brothers, when we needed it the most. My mom, and dad, would kiss each other when they said hello, and before my Dad would leave for work.

I hope, as she was leaving this earth, she could feel us touch her one more time. When we said our final goodbye at her funeral, I touched her one more time. I knew she couldn't feel that touch, but that simple gesture brought me great comfort.

Definition of Haptics

Haptics is the study of touch in non-verbal communication. It can occur between friends, lovers, in professional settings, and across different cultures. A handshake is an example. What are others? What kind of messages do they send? When looking at the picture below, what are your thoughts?

*Cite: onlineacademics.org

Is this nonverbal communication?