Status and touching behavior

Abstract

Frequency of intentional touching between legislators differing in political status was observed and recorded during legislative sessions on the floor of a Midwestern state’s house of representatives. On the basis of objective and subjective criteria of status rank, younger, lower status individuals were found to be more likely to initiate touching of a higher status conversational partner. These results are not consistent with implications of an earlier observational study of touching behavior. Reasons for the lack of agreement are offered. © 1981, The Psychonomic Society, Inc.. All rights reserved.