Touch me or touch me not: Emotion regulation by affective touch in human adults.

• DOI: 10.1037/emo0001320
• Publication Date: 2023-11-20T14:00:50Z
• Authors: Valentina Silvestri; Michelle Giraud; Viola Macchi Cassia; Elena Nava
• Keywords: PsycINFO; Ostracism; Skin conductance

In mammals, including humans, affective touch (AT) supports the establishment and maintenance of social connections mitigates effects conflict ostracism. AT is used to describe slowly moving, low-forced mechanical stimulation that frequently perceived as pleasant. has been addressed particularly for its role in promoting bonding emotional regulation during early development; however, more recent studies have suggested also preserves physical well-being adulthood. Here, we investigated whether can buffer adults' experience negative emotions reflected their behavioral physiological responses emotionally arousing stimuli. Participants were stimulated on forearms using or tapping (T) while they viewed a series neutral images, measured skin conductance response explicit rating images' unpleasantness. We found AT, but not T, reduced arousal unpleasantness stimuli ones, revealing soothing contexts. The second aim study was explore possibility might benefit some individuals than others, according individual differences. To this aim, assessed individuals' empathy sensory processing sensitivity, well perception itself. Results revealed did predict changes irrespective tactile stimulation, with higher sensitivity reported less discuss possible factors mediating observed interindividual variability perception. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).