■■The study will help shed more light on the unknown subject of how touch affects our minds and bodies
Like rest and loneliness, touch is something that affects us all – and is more complex than you might think to think about it that we realise how much
Hammond said: "Over 70,000 people
of a role it actually plays," said Banissy.
contributed to our previous studies into
"It plays a role in so many human
rest and loneliness, and I'm hoping for a
behaviours ranging from the aggressive
similarly positive response to this unique
to the most intimate and it can play a
exploration of attitudes towards touch.
huge role in our development, our social
"Like rest and loneliness, touch is
interactions, perceptions of ourselves and
something that affects us all – and is
our health and wellbeing."
more complex than you might think. The
According to researchers, the study
Touch Test gives people the opportunity
will help shed more light on the unknown
to contribute to large-scale, pioneering
subject of how touch affects our minds
research into the topic. I'm really looking
and bodies in social situations, an area
forward to analysing the results of the
which is not well-explored.
study in a series of programmes on
"We know a lot about how we process touch but we tend to know a lot less about
Radio 4 later this year."
the use of touch socially and how we use it
movement, touch has become a hot topic
in a communicative way," said Banissy.
in the media and a sensitive concept in
The study was launched on BBC Radio
society more widely, as expectations and
4's All In The Mind programme – which
standards have changed around physical
explores the limits and potential of
contact and consent.
the human mind. Presenter Claudia
The results from the study will be
Hammond previously worked on BBC
announced at a live event at Wellcome
studies into rest and loneliness.
Collection in London in the autumn. ●
Issue 784
©Cybertrek Ltd 2020
■■Michael Banissy
With the rise of the #MeToo
leisureopportunities.co.uk
23
