Psychology studies relevant to everyday life from PsyBlog. 10 Psychological Effects of Nonsexual Touch. A simple (nonsexual) touch can increase compliance, helping behaviour, attraction, and signal power. To get around in the world, we mainly rely on our eyes and ears. Touch is a sense that’s often forgotten. But touch is also vital in the way we understand and experience the world. Even the lightest touch on the upper arm can influence the way we think. To prove it, here are 10 psychological effects which show just how powerful nonsexual touch can be. 1. A well-timed touch can encourage other people to return a lost item.
In one experiment, users of a phone booth who were touched were more likely to return a lost dime to an experimenter (Kleinke, 1977). The action was no more than a light touch on the arm. People will do more than that though; people will give a bigger tip to a waitress who has touched them (Crusco & Wetzel, 1984).
(Stop giggling at the back there!) 2. People are also more likely to provide help when touched. The percentage of people who helped went up from 63% to 90%. 3. 4. 5. 6. Psychology | Documentary Heaven | Watch Free Documentaries Online. DreamStudies | Lucid Dreaming Research | Sleep Paralysis.