ABSTRACT
Interpersonal touch carries a substantial influence on an individual’s perception of the touch provider as well as the information associated with them. However, the efficacy of this concept in the realm of mediated interpersonal touch remains largely unexplored. In this study, we investigate the impact of mediated interpersonal touch with a remote person on social judgment: specifically, a mediated hug. We provide evidence that mediated hugs with a remote person can significantly modulate the negative impressions of hearsay information about a third person. In our experiment, participants were asked to form impressions and recall information about a third person. This information was disseminated either through an auditory medium (a speaker) or a huggable medium designed to simulate a human hug. Our results demonstrate that a mediated hug can substantially reduce the negativity in the recalled information about the third person. These findings not only illuminate the power of mediated hugs in moderating negative impressions but also hint at the untapped potential of mediated communication.
