In 2025, several psychology studies aimed at understanding hugging were published. Here are the major takeaways from them.

What are the benefits of touch and hugs? The need for human touch is one of our most vital and basic, primal needs. Touch is felt by the fetus at 14 weeks and is the first sense that starts working in ...

During the COVID-19 pandemic and associated lockdowns and restrictions, one of the things many people missed most was getting hugged by their loved ones. This led to an increased interest in the ...

Between people who care about each other, a hug is a pleasant experience that has the power to set off a series of health benefits for the receiver and the giver. A hug releases endorphins, the body’s ...

Relationship transformations don’t always require expensive therapy sessions or lengthy heart-to-heart conversations. Sometimes, the most profound changes emerge from the simplest possible gesture—a ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. author of Chained to the Desk in a Hybrid World: A Guide to Balance. Most people hug because they feel affection for someone or ...

Once at the end of a counseling session with a 14-year-old boy and his mother, I asked them to stand up and give each other a big hug to seal the agreement we had made during the session. To my ...