Connected Through Mediated Social Touch: "Better Than a Like on Facebook." A Longitudinal Explorative Field Study Among Geographically Separated Romantic Couples.

ABSTRACT: In recent years, there has been a significant increase in research on mediated communication via social touch. Previous studies indicated that mediated social touch (MST) can induce similar positive outcomes to interpersonal touch. However, studies investigating the user experience of MST technology predominantly involve brief experiments that are performed in well-controlled laboratory conditions. Hence, it is still unknown how MST affects the relationship and communication between physically separated partners in a romantic relationship, in a naturalistic setting and over a longer period of time. In a longitudinal explorative field study, the effects of MST on social connectedness and longing for touch among geographically separated romantic couples were investigated in a naturali

SUBMITTER: van Hattum MT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8891523 | biostudies-literature | 2022

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature