Touchaffect

Touchaffect is a term used in psychology, neuroscience, and human-computer interaction to denote the emotional quality conveyed by tactile stimulation. It refers to the perceived affective value of touch, including hedonic, arousal, and social-signaling aspects, and to how these aspects depend on context, modality, and individual differences.

Physiological and neural underpinnings: Affective touch is mediated in part by C-tactile (CT) afferents that respond optimally to gentle stroking at mid-range speeds. Neural processing involves somatosensory regions, the insular cortex, and limbic circuitry, linking tactile input to emotional experience and social relevance. Contextual factors such as the relationship between individuals, intention, and environment modulate touchaffect.

Measurement and applications: Researchers assess touchaffect through subjective rating scales of valence and arousal, as well as physiological measures such as skin conductance and heart rate. In applied settings, touchaffect informs the design of affective haptic systems, social robots, and therapeutic interventions for anxiety, loneliness, and autism spectrum disorders, by conveying emotional information through touch.

Relationship to related concepts: The term overlaps with affective touch and affective computing. While affective touch focuses broadly on the emotional content of touch, touchaffect emphasizes the subjective emotional experience and its social and contextual modulation.

See also: Affective touch; CT afferents; Haptics; Affective computing; Social robotics.