The handshake is one of the most ancient and familiar gestures. It has carried many meanings – signalling trust and alliance, but also grief and deception.
Articles on Handshaking
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Physical contact is important for our mental health and social bonding. We need to bring it back as soon as it’s safe to do so.
Coroanvirus has ended politics as normal. What will campaigning look like without handshaking, high fives and the kissing of babies?
The news is filled with stories about inappropriate touching by politicians. But touch by politicians was long important in the US, and Abraham Lincoln’s handshake helped engage and guide the nation.
After a handshake, we learned this week that we sniff our hands. But why? Hand smells are not all that interesting in themselves. This points to possibilities that you might not want to hear.
Top contributors
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Professor of Psychology, University of Stirling
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Lecturer in Clinical and Health Psychology, Swansea University
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Ahmanson-Getty Fellow, University of California, Los Angeles
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Carolina Distinguished Professor of History, University of South Carolina
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Lecturer in Psychology, Swansea University
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Honorary Research Associate, Department of Classics and Ancient History, University of Sydney