

Read along to learn about the six common hand-holding ways and what they mean in a relationship.ĭeciphering the meaning will help you to unravel a lot about your relationship. Keep in mind how someone feels in the moment doesn’t mean they feel like that all the time in a relationship. Tell them how the science interprets the way they hold your hand and inquire about their view on it. Use the information we share as a conversation starter. The best way to avoid misinterpreting what your partner is communicating through holding hands is to talk to them. Whenever trying to interpret body language, pay attention to many factors, such as your partner’s emotional state and the verbal cues. When you are holding hands and trying to interpret what it means, you can take a look at what science says each style could mean.

The huge impact hand holding can have, is noted in a 2009 study by the University of California, which found that women experienced less discomfort when exposed to moderately painful heat if they held hands with their boyfriends.

It is a substance nicknamed “cuddle hormone” because it increases our feelings of trust, bonding, connectedness, and therefore desire to touch and cuddle more. Touch is one of our most important senses, and it is in our biology to feel an increase in pleasure and decrease in anxiety and stress when touching another person.Īll this is due to oxytocin that is released when we are physically close to someone. This gesture can have profound meaning and a powerful effect, and science explains why. Hand holding can be such an intimate gesture that even couples who may have already kissed or had sex postpone hand-holding until they are ready to commit and bring their relationship to the next level. The science behind holding handsĬouples holding hands are often tied to the intensity of the emotional connection they share and the bond that exists between them. Because it is so frequently used, science has been focused on understanding its benefits and trying to interpret the meaning of different hand-holding styles. This gesture is one of the most common demonstrations of affection. The interpretation of hand-holding styles depends on the meaning the person is placing on this nonverbal gesture and relationship. Couples holding hands can reflect formality, familiarity, superiority, and even submissiveness. To many, hand holding can mean the world, while others may not be so keen to hold hands. Holding hands can express affection, comfort, warmth, pain release, safety, psychological closeness, and empathy. Parents hold their children’s hands, friends can hold hands, and romantic partners do it too. The meaning of hand-holding in different ways depends not only on the type of the relationship but also on the culture, period in history, and individual factors. Read along to understand more about this beautiful gesture.
PEOPLE JOINING HANDS TOGETHER HOW TO
How to know what your partner feels based on the ‘hand-holding’ body language, and why do people hold hands? To get a deeper understanding of the emotional connection that the couple shares, we may also turn to the way they hold hands frequently. As with any other language signs, different ways to hold hands can be interpreted differently depending on many factors. Hand holding is a simple gesture that can provide a sense of connection and intimacy to people. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that hand holding is so popular because it has a significant place in human interactions. Holding hands is so widely spread we often go for one’s hand without realizing it.
