University of Bristol study links hug memories to touch attitudes in 15,049 adults
An analysis of 15,049 participants revealed factors shaping memorable hugs, highlighting interpersonal attitudes over daily touch frequency.
Researchers led by Anna Lena Dueren from the University of Bristol evaluated survey responses from 15,049 adults in the United Kingdom, aged 18 to 92 years, according to lomazoma.com lomazoma.com
lomazoma.comlomazoma.comOpen source ↗. Around 70 percent of respondents remembered a hug that had an especially positive emotional effect on them. Comfort was the most frequently cited reason for this impact, followed by support and the sensation of feeling understood.
Physical proximity and attachment patterns
Individual perception of physical closeness showed a clear relationship with these memories. Participants who regularly hugged friends and family as a greeting were more likely to recall a memorable positive embrace. Conversely, individuals who found hugs uncomfortable or felt uncertain about grip strength reported such memories less frequently. Overall daily hug frequency did not show a decisive influence on remembering these events.
Attachment styles also correlated with the recalled experiences. People who tend to maintain emotional distance in relationships reported positive hug memories less often than individuals who experienced greater distress during separations.
Empathy and body awareness
The data indicated that individuals with high levels of empathy described more positive memories associated with hugs lomazoma.com
lomazoma.comlomazoma.comOpen source ↗. In addition, tactile self-perception proved relevant: participants for whom physical touch was critical to their body awareness remembered positive hugs more readily. General satisfaction with one's own body exhibited no measurable effect on the results.
The authors noted that past experiences and situational context likely influence how a hug is perceived, alongside personal traits. However, the observed statistical correlations were predominantly weak. The survey design also does not establish whether high empathy directly causes more positive hug memories to form.
