203. Do You Need a Hug?

Do humans need touch to survive? Do any of us get enough touch throughout our lives? And why doesn’t Angela want to hug anyone for eight seconds?

SOURCES:Ophelia Deroy • , chair of the department of philosophy of mind and cognitive neuroscience at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich. Kory Floyd • , professor of communications at the University of Arizona. Harry Harlow • , 20th-century American psychologist. Sirin Kale • , associate editor at Vice.Christy Kane • , clinical mental health counselor. Carmen Rasmusen Herbert • , country music artist and columnist. Virginia Satir • , 20th-century clinical social worker and family therapist.

RESOURCES: • " A Systematic Review and Multivariate Meta-Analysis of the Physical and Mental Health Benefits of Touch Interventions • ," by Julian Packheiser, Helena Hartmann, Kelly Fredriksen, Valeria Gazzola, Christian Keysers, and Frédéric Michon ( Nature Human Behaviour, • 2024). • " WHO Advises Immediate Skin to Skin Care for Survival of Small and Preterm Babies • ," by the World Health Organization (2022). • " Affective Interpersonal Touch in Close Relationships: A Cross-Cultural Perspective • ," by Agnieszka Sorokowska, Supreet Saluja, Ilona Croy, et al. ( Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin • , 2021). • " Results Revealed for The Touch Test: The World’s Largest Study of Touch • ," ( BBC Media Centre, • 2020). • " How 8-Second Hugs Can Counteract the Negative Side Effects From Electronics • ," by Carmen Rasmusen Herbert ( Deseret News, • 2018). • " Confidence is Higher in Touch Than in Vision in Cases of Perceptual Ambiguity • ," by Merle T. Fairhurst, Eoin Travers, Vincent Hayward, and Ophelia Deroy ( Nature: Scientific Reports, • 2018). • " The Life of the Skin-Hungry: Can You Go Crazy from a Lack Of Touch? • " by Sirin Kale ( Vice, • 2016). • " Warm Partner Contact Is Related to Lower Cardiovascular Reactivity • ," by Karen M. Grewen, Bobbi J. Anderson, Susan S. Girdler, and Kathleen C. Light ( Behavioral Medicine, • 2010). • " The Nature of Love • ," by Harry Harlow ( American Psychologist, • 1958).

EXTRAS: • " Did Covid-19 Kill the Handshake? • " by No Stupid Questions • (2020).