Source : Perth Now news
Men are almost five times more likely than women to remember a hug because it felt arousing, new research suggests.
Researchers found 3.9 per cent of men associated an embrace with arousal, compared with just 0.8 per cent of women.
Women, meanwhile, were more likely to connect hugs with comfort and emotional support.
Dr Anna Lena Dueren, first author of the study from the University of Bristol, said: “We found that among participants who remembered a hug, men were more likely than women to describe it as arousing.”
More than 15,000 adults were surveyed about their experiences of hugging, with the findings published in the journal PLOS One.
Overall, 70 per cent of participants remembered hugs because of their positive emotional impact.
Comfort was the most common reason for remembering an embrace, followed by support, friendliness and happiness.
Despite the difference between men and women, researchers stressed that arousal was relatively uncommon overall.
Dr Dueren said: “Arousal was not a common experience associated with hugging overall, so this finding comes from a comparatively small group of participants.”
The researchers found that people who regularly hugged friends and family were more likely to remember the experience positively.
Those who felt uncomfortable hugging, or were unsure how to embrace others, were less likely to recall hugs fondly.
People who were more aware of bodily sensations and touch were also more likely to remember hugs and attach positive emotions to them.
The researchers suggested that differences between men and women could reflect how they interpret interpersonal contact, with women potentially viewing hugs more often as emotional support, while men may be more likely to perceive interactions through a romantic or sexual lens.
Dr Dueren said: “We hope our findings will help explain why hugs are perceived differently from person to person.
“A next step would be to further investigate how personality, previous experiences, and the context in which a hug occurs shape its perception.
“Ultimately, this could help us better understand when and for whom hugging provides comfort and social support.”
Previous research has also suggested that the type of relationship matters.
One study found romantic partners hugged for an average of 7.02 seconds, compared with 2.88 seconds for platonic friends.
And there could be wider benefits to affection.
Research from Carnegie Mellon University found people who hugged after a conflict were less likely to harbour negative feelings in the hours and days afterwards.
So while a hug might occasionally get the heart racing for some, scientists say its biggest emotional role is still much more wholesome.
