The Role of Haptics in Nonverbal Communication

Artifact #2 Haptics is the study of using touch as nonverbal communication in relationships. Both frequency and type of touch communicates how we feel about another person and what we are looking for in the relationship. Whether it be positive or negative, it is essential in communicating a message. Positive touch is vital in both creating and maintaining relationships such as a hug, a touch on the leg while on a date, or cuddling with a spouse in bed. Many nonverbal behaviors are examined such as proximity during conversation, eye contact, and other body language but touch is one of the most important in communicating emotion, comfort and closeness. However, touch can also communicate negativity through aggression and violence by physically hurting someone or shoving them to the side in a crowd. Research shows touch is especially important for infants while they are still developing (Adler, Rosenfeld, & Proctor, 2013, p. 189). This improves both physiological and psychological development, and creating personal bonds with others. It gives us channels for comfort, love, expression, anxiety reduction, and intimacy among many other human necessities. It is equally important to note the effects absence or discomfort with touch has on the interaction. This could suggest the person is distant, anxious, not being genuine, or they are uncomfortable with the person or the context of the interaction. Touch expresses many things, but so does the lack of it. Touch is clearly something we consciously monitor, which often shows itself during alcohol consumption as inhibitions are lowered. Not only does alcohol causes people to often say and do things they would not normally do because of our social constrictions and what is acceptable or not acceptable, but also makes people get touchy-feely with each other as we become more comfortable and loosened up. This could be due to sexual attraction, anger, or other factors under the surface that are revealed through the alcohol consumption This could suggest touch is something we all innately desire and need, yet monitor through everyday life in order to maintain face. However, alcohol heightens verbal expression and improves bonding with others, so through this closeness people often get inevitably touchy and sometimes even sexual based on the situation. Touch has also shown to have effects in the professional life as well. A firm handshake after a job interview communicates manners, professionalism and seriousness about the job. It has also shown to affect how much alcohol a customer purchases when the server touches them on the shoulder during the interaction (Adler, Rosenfeld, & Proctor, 2013, p. 188). At appropriate levels, it can be employed for things like this such as influencing consumers or getting ahead in a person’s career. It displays confidence, which is a huge skill in any professional career. An article by Psychology Today discusses our, “need to touch and be touched“ as social humans. The author Sharon Farber studies the mind-body connection, and how physical things can also directly affect us mentally. Many businesses today actually revolve around touch such as chiropractic care, massage therapists, physical therapists, acupuncture, dance, martial arts and many others (Farber, 2013). Some cure physical and/or mental ailments using pressure points, muscle relaxation, or vertebrate alignment. This creates personal bonds with the customers, and with physical touch being one of the most fundamental principles in socialization and healthy development, attachment, and love, the result is a reliable, consistent, and professional business model utilizing this need. The importance of physical contact with other people is psychologically based on how we view our relationship with that person, and physiologically based on certain chemicals released in the brain. This can be related to our communication climate, which refers to the tone of our relationship with the person and not the actual interaction (Adler, Rosenfeld, & Proctor, 2013, p. 338). A sweet graze on the cheek from a loved one can be comforting and sweet, but that same graze on the cheek from a stranger or made through negative or creepy intentions will result in completely different emotions about the touch. It is not necessarily the action alone, but it is combined with how we think about the person we are touching or being touched by and our relationship with them. Physiologically, a hormone called oxytocin is released when creating loving attachments with others, and has been involved with our mental processes since birth (Farber, 2013). As a baby we need close touches such as coddling, nursing, playing and embraces. These same feelings of connectedness and calm we get when we are young carry into our adulthood as well, as we turn to significant others for similar embraces, petting and confirmation of love. The article points out that this feeling oxytocin gives us is desired forever and does not go away, we will always pursue it and always benefit from it (Farber, 2013). This makes sense because even as adults we enjoy our hair being stroked, being cuddled to sleep, and other intimate things such as kissing. Our mouths are incredibly sensitive erogenous zones on our bodies, and as babies we nurse from our mothers and understand the world by putting things into our mouths. Even today we do things similar to this through sexual intimacy to get closer and better understand our partners as it brings us comfort. Many forms of direct touch are so therapeutic both mentally and physically it is no question that we as people need this from our fellow humans for developing trust, sense of worth, confirmation of love, and to be able to express these feelings back to our loved ones as well.