Touch and Synchrony

Across the globe, human connection is built on touch. Whether it is a warm hug, a reassuring stroke, or a simple handshake, physical contact is a fundamental way we express affection and closeness [1, 2].

Research shows that touch does more than just feel good. It can express love toward a romantic partner [1], signal support to friends [3], and even improve our attitudes toward complete strangers [4].

But what is happening beneath the surface? The powerful, bonding effects of social touch are driven by a specialized network of nerves, called C-tactile afferents, that are finely tuned to human interaction [5]. Activation of these fibers are associated with reducing stress and arousal [6, 7], triggering the release of oxytocin [8, 9], and ultimately boosting our empathy [10] and overall wellbeing [11].

Being able to connect and interact with others is at the core of human life. We constantly adjust our behavior depending on the situation, whether we are comforting an upset child, making friendly small talk with a neighbor, or negotiating with a colleague. These everyday interactions require us to coordinate our actions in real-time, a process that is naturally enhanced by making eye contact and being physically close to one another [12, 13]. When one person moves, speaks, or changes their facial expression, the other person naturally responds [14-16]. In science, we call this synchrony [17].

Be Part of the Discovery!
We want to understand how a simple touch shapes this hidden connection between brains. We have designed an exciting brain-imaging (fNIRS hyperscanning) to measure the brain activity of you and your partner at the same time.

Want to help us uncover the science of human connection? We would love for you to participate in our study!

We are looking for you and your partner!

If you are interested, please contact us using the following form

References
[1] Sorokowska A, Kowal M, Saluja S, et al. Love and affectionate touch toward romantic partners all over the world. Scientific Reports. 2023;13(1):5497.
[2] Suvilehto JT, Glerean E, Dunbar RIM, Hari R, Nummenmaa L. Topography of social touching depends on emotional bonds between humans. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 2015;112(45):13811–13816.
[3] Krahé C, Fotopoulou A, Hammond C, Banissy MJ, Koukoutsakis A, Jenkinson PM. The meaning of touch: Relational and individual variables shape emotions and intentions associated with imagined social touch. European Journal of Social Psychology. 2024;54(6):ejsp.3076.
[4] Burgoon JK, Walther JB, Baesler EJ. Interpretations, Evaluations, and Consequences of Interpersonal Touch. Human Communication Research. 1992;19(2):237–263.
[5] McGlone F, Wessberg J, Olausson H. Discriminative and Affective Touch: Sensing and Feeling. Neuron. 2014;82(4):737–755.
[6] Fairhurst MT, Löken L, Grossmann T. Physiological and Behavioral Responses Reveal 9-Month-Old Infants’ Sensitivity to Pleasant Touch. Psychological Science. 2014;25(5):1124–1131.
[7] Triscoli C, Croy I, Olausson H, Sailer U. Touch between romantic partners: Being stroked is more pleasant than stroking and decelerates heart rate. Physiology & Behavior. 2017;177:169–175.
[8] Walker SC, Trotter PD, Swaney WT, Marshall A, Mcglone FP. C-tactile afferents: Cutaneous mediators of oxytocin release during affiliative tactile interactions? Neuropeptides. 2017;64:27–38.
[9] Yu H, Miao W, Ji E, et al. Social touch-like tactile stimulation activates a tachykinin 1-oxytocin pathway to promote social interactions. Neuron. 2022;110(6):1051-1067.e7.
[10] Valori I, Fan Y, Jung MM, Shamay-Tsoory S, Fairhurst MT. To Touch or to Talk: Individual Preferences, Trust and Empathy in Comforting Behaviours. Journal of Community and Applied Social Psychology. 2026;36(1).
[11] Packheiser J, Hartmann H, Fredriksen K, Gazzola V, Keysers C, Michon F. A systematic review and multivariate meta-analysis of the physical and mental health benefits of touch interventions. Nature Human Behaviour. 2024;8(6):1088–1107.
[12] Koul A, Ahmar D, Iannetti GD, Novembre G. Interpersonal synchronization of spontaneously generated body movements. IScience. 2023;26(3):106104.
[13] Tsuchiya A, Ora H, Hao Q, et al. Body Movement Synchrony Predicts Degrees of Information Exchange in a Natural Conversation. Frontiers in Psychology. 2020;11:817.
[14] Bigand F, Bianco R, Abalde SF, Novembre G. The geometry of interpersonal synchrony in human dance. Current Biology. 2024;34(13):3011-3019.e4.
[15] Fujiwara K, Kimura M, Daibo I. Rhythmic Features of Movement Synchrony for Bonding Individuals in Dyadic Interaction. Journal of Nonverbal Behavior. 2020;44(1):173–193.
[16] Saito DN, Tanabe HC, Izuma K, et al. Stay tuned: Inter-individual neural synchronization during mutual gaze and joint attention. Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience. 2010;4:1–12.
[17] Mayo O, Gordon I. In and out of synchrony—Behavioral and physiological dynamics of dyadic interpersonal coordination. Psychophysiology. 2020;57(6):e13574.