We’re a hands-on species. “We probably have as much physical contact within our core relationships as monkeys do within theirs,” says at the University of Oxford. Touching each other is pleasant, it builds trust and promotes cooperation. And touching others – a soft caress, a reassuring hand on the arm – may be far more critical to our development than we imagined.
That’s not to say we all do it the same, however. Social touching is strictly governed by local conventions around the world. Here’s a quick travel guide to get you up to speed.
UK
(Image: Keith Laflin/PYMCA/Rex)
It’s been called the . People in the UK have long had a reputation for being less willing to touch each other than people in other parts of the world, but a 1966 study revealed just how great the can be. When researchers observed the behaviour of couples in coffee shops in London and San Juan, Puerto Rico, they found that couples in London barely touched each other. Puerto Ricans, by contrast, touched each other an average of 180 times per hour.
Things have changed since the 1960s, of course. In London it’s now common to greet friends with a hug and kiss on the cheek – though uncertainty over the number of kisses can still provoke embarrassment.
Sierra Leone
(Image: AP Images/PA)
“Don’t touch” has become a familiar greeting in Sierra Leone, a country with long traditions of interpersonal touch. Before the recent Ebola outbreak, the usual greeting was to shake hands, then touch your hand to your chest – as if
