It might seem like a “nerdy” study bordering on the poetic, but the one conducted by University of London at Goldsmiths it really tells us what the perfect hug looks like.
The research was conducted in two parts: in the first, which took place on the University premises, the researchers recruited 45 university students and blindfolded them, one at a time. A researcher then entered the room and hugged each volunteer for 1, 5 or 10 seconds, each time and in two ways, “cross” and “neck-waist” style.
In the first mode, both put one arm over the shoulder and the other under the arm of their partner. In the second, the researcher placed both arms under the participants. In total, each participant received six hugs. Everyone was then asked to rate them according to their own emotionality.
In general, the style of the hug did not influence the judgment much, but the volunteers unanimously rated hugs that lasted less than 1 second as the least pleasant. And if 10 seconds seems like an embarrassing amount of time to hug a stranger, in fact it’s exactly like that scientifically too.
So much so that, while at the beginning the participants reported a certain sense of “alienation”, as they gradually gained a semblance of confidence they no longer seemed prey to it.
But two factors have not yet been investigated: what happens with a hug lasting more than 10 seconds and the sensations related to the pressure of the hug. Researchers believe that the intimacy of the relationship influences this too.
If the hug is romantic, (the pressure) may be greater than in a more casual one
reports Julian Packheiser, biopsychologist at Ruhr-University of Bochum who was not involved in the study
In the second phase of the experiment everything happened in the real world; in particular, the researchers recruited 100 couples of students observed socializing on campus with hugs in public, collecting data on gender, height and details on the emotionality of the relationship.
Without asking students how to hug, the researchers found that the criss-cross style was most common, accounting for 66 hugs out of 100. Preference for this style was particularly prevalent among male couples, with 82 percent of the 28 couples observed opting for this style.
Neither emotional closeness nor height had significant effects on hugging style. However, the researchers note that most participants were relatively close in height and speculate that the neck-to-waist style may be more common when heights differ more drastically.
According to the researchers, however, the male-male preference for cross-hugging was particularly interesting, confirming previous work that indicated that people felt “equal” in this way. Furthermore, the intersection could convey closeness without adding a romantic subtext, as confirmed by the interviews then conducted on the volunteers.
So what is the perfect hug?
The study claims that the safest and most likely most pleasant hug is one lasting 5 to 10 seconds with arms crossed.
Although – without taking anything away from science – perhaps this is where each of us feels we are ourselves. And on certain occasions perhaps we would like a hug to never end.
Because a hug makes us feel so good
But what exactly happens in our body during a hug? When we hug someone, the brain releases oxytocin, often called the “love hormone,” which reduces stress and lowers cortisol levels. It is precisely this hormonal cocktail that makes us feel calmer, safer and more connected. It is no coincidence that the longest hugs – those lasting 5 to 10 seconds – are the most effective: it takes at least a few seconds for the body to start producing oxytocin in significant quantities. Lightning-fast hugs, on the other hand, don’t give our body the time necessary to activate this biochemical response, leaving us with a feeling of incompleteness.
Cultural differences in hugs: not everyone does it the same way
It’s important to note that the study was conducted primarily on British university students, and hugging preferences vary greatly between cultures. In some Mediterranean countries, for example, hugs tend to be longer, warmer and accompanied by more prolonged physical contact. In Asian or Northern European cultures, however, hugging may be less common or more formal. Gender also plays a role: in many Western societies, men tend to hug other men more briefly and “confidently” (as the study confirms with the preference for the criss-cross style), while women generally have more freedom to express physical affection between each other.
The perfect hug? It also depends on who you are
Ultimately, despite all the scientific data, researchers admit that there is no universal formula. Some people are naturally more hugger than others, and this depends on personality, past experiences and even how we were hugged as children. Those who grew up in families where physical contact was frequent tend to appreciate longer, more intense hugs. Those who had less physical contact in childhood may feel uncomfortable even with 5-second hugs. The perfect hug, therefore, is not just a matter of seconds and technique: it is one that respects the other’s boundaries and communicates authenticity. Perhaps the real finding of this study is that we should pay more attention to how we hug – and how we would like to be hugged.
The work was published on Acta Psychologica.
Sources: Science Magazine / Acta Psychologica
