Touch can comfort and heal, but also harm − a psychologist explains why gestures don’t always land as intended
- Written by Brian N. Chin, Assistant Professor of Psychology, Trinity College
Touch is not always received the way it's intended.Olga Pankova/Moment via Getty ImagesA hug from a friend. A squeeze of the hand. A steady arm around your shoulders. Many of us are taught to think of touch as comforting – an instinctive way to offer or receive comfort and express a sense of connection.
But comfort is not always the outcome.
Fo...