You Can Touch This

A parent or infant's touch can convey emotion as well as a facial expression or spoken word. Take the quiz to find out how well you interpret touch.

By Matthew Hutson published January 1, 2007 - last reviewed on June 9, 2016

At birth, touch is the most developed sense. But scientists have always thought touch conveys only a general positive or negative affect. According to a paper in the journal Emotion by Matthew Hertenstein of DePauw University and collaborators, touch can communicate distinct emotions—about as well as faces or voices. People "expressed" 12 emotions to a stranger who had put his arm through a curtain. Recipients guessed six of the emotions well above chance, scoring between 48 and 83 percent. MC Hammer didn't know what he was missing.

Contact Quiz

Match the six emotions with the types of touch:

A = Anger

D = Disgust

F = Fear

G = Gratitude

L = Love

S = Sympathy

_______ Stroking, finger interlocking, rubbing
_______ Squeezing, hitting, trembling
_______ Trembling, shaking, squeezing
_______ Pushing, lifting, tapping
_______ Shaking, lifting, squeezing
_______ Patting, stroking, rubbing

1.L, 2.A, 3.F, 4.D, 5.G, 6.S