Subscribe
The latest psychology and neuroscience discoveries.
My Account
  • Mental Health
  • Social Psychology
  • Cognitive Science
  • Psychopharmacology
  • Neuroscience
  • About
No Result
View All Result
PsyPost
PsyPost
No Result
View All Result
Home Exclusive Relationships and Sexual Health Attachment Styles

Physical touch from a romantic partner is linked to improved well-being, even among those with attachment avoidance

by Eric W. Dolan
May 11, 2021
in Attachment Styles, Relationships and Sexual Health, Social Psychology
Share on TwitterShare on Facebook
Stay informed on the latest psychology and neuroscience research—follow PsyPost on LinkedIn for daily updates and insights.

Avoidantly attached individuals tend to shun intimacy and are reluctant to form close personal relationships with others. But new research provides evidence that they benefit from physical affection in their romantic relationships just as much as securely attached individuals, even though they might express a greater aversion to physical affection.

The new findings have been published in Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin.

“I have been studying interpersonal, affectionate touch in couples for about 10 years now and have found that this touch is associated with a better mood in daily life as well as with enhanced well-being over the long run,” said study author Anik Debrot, a senior researcher at the Cognitive and Affective Regulation Laboratory at the University of Lausanne.

“Several other studies indicate that touch is beneficial for physical, psychological and relational well-being. However, little is known about who benefits more or less from this touch. I did not believe that touch would be good for everybody.”

“I thought that the people most likely to benefit less from it would be those who have difficulties with psychological and physical intimacy and who struggle trusting others: the people high in attachment avoidance,” Debrot explained. “Those people are also known to have lower well-being. However, as I read more about attachment avoidance, I realized that some research indicates that those people seem to benefit from different kinds of positive behaviors in relationships, despite the fact that they tend to claim that they don’t care about it.”

“Hence, with my co-authors, we thought that they could feel less good because they benefit less from touch, but also that they could just get less of this positive behavior, and hence show lower well-being.”

The researchers conducted three studies to examine the link between relationship attachment styles and affectionate touch. Their first study surveyed 1,604 individuals in romantic relationships. The second objectively measured touch in 80 couples as they engaged in six brief conversations. In the third, 98 couples completed nightly surveys for 28 consecutive days.

Touching behaviors included various forms of physical contact, such as holding hands, caressing, massaging, back rubbing, cuddling, and kissing.

Despite the differences in methodology, all three studies found similar results. The researchers observed that those with greater attachment avoidance tended to engage in less frequent touching of their partner and also receive less touch from their partner.

Contrary to their expectations, however, the researchers found that the positive link between touch and psychological well-being existed regardless of levels of attachment avoidance.

“What we found is that people higher in attachment avoidance benefit exactly as much from touch as any other person. Hence, even if previous research has shown that they say they like touch much less, when they actually receive it, it is good for them,” Debrot told PsyPost.

“However, in most of our analyses, we also found that they engage less in touch with their partner, and that this explains in part why they have lower well-being (i.e. are generally less satisfied with their life and experience less positive emotions.) So, even if you, or someone you know well, doesn’t like touch, the chances are high that they actually can benefit from it.”

Of course, one shouldn’t pressure someone to receive physical affection against their wishes. “This study doesn’t mean one should simply go ahead and touch a partner who says they don’t like touch, but rather have in mind that they might actually like to exchange affection when the conditions are right,” Debrot explained.

But the study — like all research — includes some caveats.

“Our results can be considered quite strong because we show a similar pattern of results in three different studies, using different methods. However, as is often the case in couples research, we had rather highly satisfied couples,” Debrot said.

“I believe the most important further step to address would be to understand under which conditions people that are more avoidantly attached – and who generally also present lower well-being and relationship satisfaction – can be open to exchanging touch, and what can be done to make them more open to this behavior from which they can benefit,” she added.

The study, “Is Touch in Romantic Relationships Universally Beneficial for Psychological Well-Being? The Role of Attachment Avoidance“, was authored by Anik Debrot, Jennifer E. Stellar, Geoff MacDonald, Dacher Keltner, and Emily A. Impett.

TweetSendScanShareSendPin66ShareShareShareShareShare

RELATED

Gynandromorph research offers insight into the complexities of male sexual attraction
Sexism

Eye-tracking study shows people fixate longer on female aggressors than male ones

June 23, 2025

People pay more visual attention to female aggressors than male ones, but do not consistently judge their actions as more intentional or blameworthy, suggesting that female aggression is seen as unexpected rather than more morally significant.

Read moreDetails
Breakups can trigger trauma in emerging adults
Relationships and Sexual Health

Romantic breakups follow a two-stage decline that begins years before the split, study finds

June 23, 2025

A new study shows that romantic relationships often begin to unravel one to two years before they officially end. Researchers found a two-phase pattern of decline in satisfaction that could help identify when relationships are heading for a breakup.

Read moreDetails
It’s not digital illiteracy: Here’s why older adults are drawn to dubious news
Social Media

Believing “news will find me” is linked to sharing fake news, study finds

June 22, 2025

People who rely on social media to “stumble upon” news are more prone to spreading misinformation, according to a new longitudinal study.

Read moreDetails
Political ambivalence has a surprising relationship with support for violence
Authoritarianism

New study sheds light on the psychological roots of collective violence

June 21, 2025

A new study from Lebanon finds that people with authoritarian beliefs tend to oppose violence against political leaders, while those high in social dominance orientation are more likely to support violence against rival group members.

Read moreDetails
Scientists observe reduced emotional distress in children living near greenery
Racism and Discrimination

Adults’ beliefs about children and race shift when a child’s race is specified, study finds

June 21, 2025

Specifying a child’s race alters how adults perceive their awareness of race and racism, according to new research. Black children are viewed as less “color-evasive” and more racially aware at earlier ages than White children or generic “children.”

Read moreDetails
Study helps untangle the complicated relationship between psychopathy and emotional awareness
Psychopathy

Psychopathic individuals recognize unfairness but are less likely to punish it

June 21, 2025

A new study shows that individuals with higher psychopathic traits are less likely to punish unfair behavior, especially when it costs them personally. The research suggests self-interest, not a lack of moral understanding, drives their reluctance to enforce social norms.

Read moreDetails
The neuroscience of why we cry happy tears
Social Psychology

The neuroscience of why we cry happy tears

June 20, 2025

Why do people cry happy tears? Neuroscience suggests these emotional outbursts occur when the brain becomes overwhelmed by joy, nostalgia, or relief. Far from being irrational, crying during joyful moments helps restore balance and deepen human connection.

Read moreDetails
Epistemic mistrust and dogmatism predict preference for authoritarian-looking leaders
Authoritarianism

Epistemic mistrust and dogmatism predict preference for authoritarian-looking leaders

June 20, 2025

A new study suggests that the way people learn to trust others early in life can shape their political ideology and preference for strong, dominant leaders—though not directly, but through dogmatic thinking and broader political attitudes.

Read moreDetails

SUBSCRIBE

Go Ad-Free! Click here to subscribe to PsyPost and support independent science journalism!

STAY CONNECTED

LATEST

Exposure to heavy metals is associated with higher likelihood of ADHD diagnosis

Eye-tracking study shows people fixate longer on female aggressors than male ones

Romantic breakups follow a two-stage decline that begins years before the split, study finds

Believing “news will find me” is linked to sharing fake news, study finds

A common parasite not only invades the brain — it can also decapitate human sperm

Almost all unmarried pregant women say that the fetus resembles the father, study finds

New neuroscience research reveals brain antioxidant deficit in depression

Scientists uncover kidney-to-brain route for Parkinson’s-related protein spread

         
       
  • Contact us
  • Privacy policy
  • Terms and Conditions
[Do not sell my information]

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

Subscribe
  • My Account
  • Cognitive Science Research
  • Mental Health Research
  • Social Psychology Research
  • Drug Research
  • Relationship Research
  • About PsyPost
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy