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Interpretations, Evaluations, and Consequences of Interpersonal Touch

Interpretations, Evaluations, and Consequences of Interpersonal Touch Key elements of an expectancy violations (EV) framework are forwarded as a possible organizing framework for understanding how touch functions in interpersonal communication. Central to applying an EV framework to touch is assessing the expectedness, interpretations, and evaluations of touch and its influence on such communication outcomes as evaluations of communicator attractiveness and credibility. To address these considerations, an experiment required participants to engage in dyadic problem‐solving discussions during which they were touched or not touched by high‐valence (attractive, high status, expert) or low‐valence (unattractive, low status, inexpert) confederates. Brief touches by high‐valence communicators were less expected than from low‐valence communicators but positively evaluated from both. Touch also carried many favorable relational message interpretations, and the combination of touch and high communicator valence generally produced the highest credibility and attraction ratings. Some gender effects emerged, which appeared to moderate touch effects. Results suggest that brief touches among strangers may have positive consequences, especially when initiated by high‐valence communicators, for whom they may qualify as positive violations. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Human Communication Research Oxford University Press

Interpretations, Evaluations, and Consequences of Interpersonal Touch

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References (58)

Publisher
Oxford University Press
Copyright
Copyright © 1992 Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company
ISSN
0360-3989
eISSN
1468-2958
DOI
10.1111/j.1468-2958.1992.tb00301.x
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Key elements of an expectancy violations (EV) framework are forwarded as a possible organizing framework for understanding how touch functions in interpersonal communication. Central to applying an EV framework to touch is assessing the expectedness, interpretations, and evaluations of touch and its influence on such communication outcomes as evaluations of communicator attractiveness and credibility. To address these considerations, an experiment required participants to engage in dyadic problem‐solving discussions during which they were touched or not touched by high‐valence (attractive, high status, expert) or low‐valence (unattractive, low status, inexpert) confederates. Brief touches by high‐valence communicators were less expected than from low‐valence communicators but positively evaluated from both. Touch also carried many favorable relational message interpretations, and the combination of touch and high communicator valence generally produced the highest credibility and attraction ratings. Some gender effects emerged, which appeared to moderate touch effects. Results suggest that brief touches among strangers may have positive consequences, especially when initiated by high‐valence communicators, for whom they may qualify as positive violations.

Journal

Human Communication Research – Oxford University Press

Published: Dec 1, 1992

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