The space between us: The effect of perceived threat on discomfort distance and perceived pleasantness of interpersonal vicarious touch.

ABSTRACT: The space we keep between ourselves and others allows us either to engage in close shared experiences or to distance ourselves for safety. Focusing primarily on the latter, previous studies have identified a link between interpersonal boundaries and perceived threat, perceptual discrimination including pain perception as well as how we move and behave as a result. Although interpersonal distancing has been studied in a range of contexts, a mechanistic way of how such spatial behaviour might alter how we perceive affective touch has yet to be investigated. Here we probe the effect of perceived threat of COVID-19 on interpersonal boundary preferences and perceived pleasantness of vicarious affective touch. Our results demonstrate that increased perceived threat from COVID-19 is associated wi

SUBMITTER: Abra Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11388568 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature