Abstract
Touch is one of our love languages. In addition to the fact that we use touch to express love, I explore its role and significance in our lives. In the present work, drawing on the growing literature, I focus on affective touch, including received touch, in the context of adult romantic relationships. After defining affective touch, I discuss its beneficial effects. Based on research results, I show that affective touch in the context of relationships is related to physical, mental, and relational health and well-being. But not always and not for everyone. Thus, I cover some of the factors affecting touch behaviour and attitude. I discuss separately the phenomenon where, still within the couple relationship and remaining in the field of affective touch, the touch itself becomes a source of stress. We have all experienced the effects of measures taken to control the epidemic, such as social distancing and avoidance of touch. In this context, I present some of the results of our research on COVID. All of these are excerpts. I hope they will inspire others to further research.
Keywords: affective touch, adult partnership, well-being
Publisher
Babes-Bolyai University Cluj-Napoca
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