Department of Psychology, University of Milan-Bicocca, Milan, Italy.
Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2010 Feb;34(2):246-59. doi: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2008.10.004. Epub 2008 Oct 17.
Surprisingly little scientific research has been conducted on the topic of interpersonal touch over the years, despite the importance of touch in our everyday social interactions from birth through to adulthood and old age. In this review, we critically evaluate the results of the research on this topic that have emerged from disciplines, such as cognitive and social psychology, neuroscience, and cultural anthropology. We highlight some of the most important advances to have been made in our understanding of this topic: For example, research has shown that interpersonal tactile stimulation provides an effective means of influencing people's social behaviors (such as modulating their tendency to comply with requests, in affecting people's attitudes toward specific services, in creating bonds between couples or groups, and in strengthening romantic relationships), regardless of whether or not the tactile contact itself can be remembered explicitly. What is more, interpersonal touch can be used to communicate emotion in a manner similar to that demonstrated previously in vision and audition. The recent growth of studies investigating the potential introduction of tactile sensations to long-distance communication technologies (by means of mediated or 'virtual' touch) are also reviewed briefly. Finally, we highlight the synergistic effort that will be needed by researchers in different disciplines if we are to develop a more complete understanding of interpersonal touch in the years to come.
多年来，尽管触摸在我们从出生到成年和老年的日常社交互动中都很重要，但针对人际触摸的科学研究却少之又少。在这篇综述中，我们批判性地评估了来自认知和社会心理学、神经科学和文化人类学等学科的关于这个主题的研究结果。我们强调了在理解这个主题方面取得的一些最重要的进展：例如，研究表明，人际触觉刺激提供了一种有效影响人们社会行为的手段（例如调节他们顺从请求的倾向、影响人们对特定服务的态度、在夫妻或群体之间建立联系以及加强浪漫关系），而不管触觉接触本身是否可以被明确记住。更重要的是，人际触摸可以像在视觉和听觉中所展示的那样，用于传达情感。我们还简要回顾了最近研究将触觉感引入远程通信技术（通过中介或“虚拟”触摸）的潜在应用的研究进展。最后，我们强调了如果我们要在未来几年内对人际触摸有更全面的理解，不同学科的研究人员需要协同努力。
