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The Functions and Consequences of Interpersonal Touch in Close Relationships

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Nonverbal Communication in Close Relationships

Abstract

Research has been accumulating for well over a half-century on the physical, psychological, and emotional consequences of touch and touch deprivation. Some of these studies focus on the universal need for touch, while others explore various social factors, such as the ritualized use of touch and the impact of culture, gender, and personality on first impressions and interpersonal influence. In this chapter, we examine the primary functions of touch in social interaction, and especially how touch between people constitutes an expression of intimacy and affection. In doing so, we highlight how these expressions originate from both biological and social processes. We also address the relative absence of interpersonal touch in the new age of social media. Moreover, as the world continues to cope with a global pandemic, opportunities for physical contact as a means of communicating love and affection have become painfully limited, heightening the need for continued investigation into how people are coping with the loss of touch and the success of alternative modes of communication.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Communication and Media, West Chester University of Pennsylvania, West Chester, PA, USA

    Martin S. Remland

  2. Communication and Media, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    Tricia S. Jones

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  1. Department of Psychology, College of Human Ecology Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA

    Robert J. Sternberg

  2. Faculty of Philosophy, Department of Psychology University of Niš, Niš, Serbia

    Aleksandra Kostić

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Remland, M.S., Jones, T.S. (2022). The Functions and Consequences of Interpersonal Touch in Close Relationships. In: Sternberg, R.J., Kostić, A. (eds) Nonverbal Communication in Close Relationships. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-94492-6_12

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