When We Touch

Coronavirus has put touch in the spotlight. And yet, according to Professor Michael Banissy, the truth is that many people were already feeling a lack of touch in the world around them long before the pandemic began.


We rely on touch every day of our lives. It makes us who we are. It helps us connect with those around us. Despite this, many feel out of touch with the world. Over half of us long for more touch in our lives. But people increasingly report a reluctance to touch. So, what does the future hold for touch in society?

In When We Touch, Michael Banissy bridges expert scientific insights with diverse lived experiences to explain why we touch, what touch means, how it defines us, and what the future of touch is likely to be. From the most inconsequential to the most salient moments of human contact, When We Touch is an exploration of touch in all walks of life. Delving into everything from how likes and dislikes vary across people and cultures, to how we can help those experiencing touch starvation, it answers vital questions that will help us to communicate via touch at home, at work, and in public.