At birth, touch is the most developed sense. But scientists have always thought touch conveys only a general positive or negative affect. According to a paper in the journal Emotion by Matthew Hertenstein of DePauw University and collaborators, touch can communicate distinct emotions—about as well as faces or voices. People "expressed" 12 emotions to a stranger who had put his arm through a curtain. Recipients guessed six of the emotions well above chance, scoring between 48 and 83 percent. MC Hammer didn't know what he was missing.
Contact Quiz
Match the six emotions with the types of touch:
A = Anger
D = Disgust
F = Fear
G = Gratitude
L = Love
S = Sympathy
- _______ Stroking, finger interlocking, rubbing
- _______ Squeezing, hitting, trembling
- _______ Trembling, shaking, squeezing
- _______ Pushing, lifting, tapping
- _______ Shaking, lifting, squeezing
- _______ Patting, stroking, rubbing
1.L, 2.A, 3.F, 4.D, 5.G, 6.S
