Touchology

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Read these words and pause, what do they mean to you?

Tap, press and hold, swipe, slide, stretch and pinch.

This terminology and the actions associated with it have quickly become part of our daily lives through the use of touchscreen technology. Nowadays a toddler knows how to swipe and scroll, pinch and zoom on phones and tablets.

Twenty years ago, I was using this vocabulary and practising these actions as part of my daily professional life as a Massage Therapist. I was tapping, pressing, holding, swiping, sliding, stretching and gently pinching; using the whole of my hands from palm to fingertips to deliver therapeutic touch to my clients.

Something I find fascinating is that touch is the 1st sense that develops when we are still intra utero. Our skin is the largest organ of the body, connected to thousands of nerve endings that allow us to perceive touch in the most subtle ways. And touch is not just for the body, it is also fundamental for mental health, communication and connection, it activates the part of the brain which is linked to feelings of reward and compassion, it also soothes and signals safety and trust.

Due to its unique design our sense of touch is often the fastest way to communicate especially when expressing emotions (one study showed that 8 out of 12 emotions could be communicated through touch alone [1]). Think of the powerful message shared through resting a hand on someone’s shoulder.

Nowadays, we connect, touch base and keep in touch through our handy-handheld technology often available at the tip of our fingers. When using a ‘touchscreen’ device, the screen senses where it is touched and the device does something in response.

Our devices have become much more than useful communication tools, through the sense of touch, our smartphones generate feelings of comfort and act as a reassuring presence. They serve as pacifiers [2].

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How do you feel when you are holding your phone in your hand?

Tune into the captors in your skin, the sensation in your fingertips

What comes up for you when your phone is out of reach? What feeling are you experiencing?

Just be open and curious

When was last time you touched someone else mindfully?

A pat on the back, a handshake, a gentle touch on the arm?

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Touch-based interfaces are used successfully not only on phone and tablets but also cash machines, ticket machines at the cinema, check in at the airport and much more. On the horizon are virtual reality, wearable devices and many more connected and “enchanted” items that technology is supporting.

We are wired to connect with other people on a very basic level. No matter how smart our devices will become, none of them will be able to replace the touch of another person.

" To touch can be to give life. " Michelangelo

Note/Finishing Touch: To this date “Touchology” is not in the dictionary, just an inspired touch of humour, a soft blend of touch and technology.

Why not get in touch to explore ways to bring human touch back into your life. We will arrange a free conversation and explore the field of possibilities. I guarantee it will be 15min of your time invested mindfully.

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References: [1] Hertenstein MJ, Keltner D, App B, Bulleit BA, Jaskolka AR. Touch communicates distinct emotions. Emotion. 2006 Aug;6(3):528-33. doi:10.1037/1528-3542.6.3.528. [2] Melumad, S. and Pham, M. (2020) ‘The Smartphone as a Pacifying Technology’, Journal of Consumer Research, 47.

Image credit: Photo by Killian Cartignies on Unsplash

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