Hugs best way to combat loneliness, research reveals

The power of a gentle hug is so strong it can ease feelings of loneliness and rejection, academics have found.

Research from University College London, published today, discovered that the touch of another individual can soothe someone who is suffering from social exclusion — one of the most emotionally painful human experiences.

Mariana von Mohr, lead author of the study, which is published in Nature’s Scientific Reports, said: “As our social world is becoming increasingly visual and digital, it is easy to forget the power of touch in human relations.

“Yet we’ve shown for the first time that mere slow, gentle stroking by a stranger can reduce feelings of social exclusion after social rejection.”

The study, funded by the European Research Council, tested the impact of a slow, affectionate touch against a fast, neutral touch following social rejection.

It found there is a relationship between gentle touch and social bonding.

As part of the study, 84 women played a computerised ball-throwing and catching game with two other participants, and were told their mental visualisation skills were being tested. They then answered a questionnaire about their feelings of belonging and self-esteem.

When the women resumed the game after a 10-minute break, other players unexpectedly stopped throwing balls at them, causing them to feel excluded.

The participants were then blindfolded and their left forearms were touched with a soft-bristled brush with either slow or fast speed. They then completed the same questionnaire and the results were compared.

Those touched at a slow speed felt less negative and excluded compared with those who received a fast, “neutral” touch.

The study’s senior author, Dr Katerina Fotopoulou, said: “What is interesting is that social support was optimally conveyed only by a simple, yet specific, instance of touch. No words, or pictures, were necessary.”