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