Hug which side

And if you're uncomfortable, you may cross your arms. New research suggest that your feelings may also affect the way you embrace someone. Depending on a person's emotional state, we may choose to hug a certain way, according to a study published in the journal Psychological Research. A team of researchers observed more than 2, hugs that took place in various international terminals across German airports and found that right-sided hugs, meaning your right arm reaches in first towards your partner's left arm, are more common, which has previously been observed, the authors point out.

But, during more emotionally-charged situations, things change. Some of these include an inherent bias to turn one's head to the right— observable as early as during fetal development.

Other hypotheses account for the pervasive influence of cultural norms , as well as the effect of one's right or left-handedness. The latter is particularly influential as only ten percent of people are said to be left-handed.

There's more to a hug than meets the eye, so next time you pull your love or buddy! By Callie Tansill-Suddath. See All Health Relationships Self. Our FREE doctor-approved gut health guide. You are now subscribed Be on the lookout for a welcome email in your inbox! Main Navigation. Log in Profile. Saved Articles. Contact Support. Log Out. Your cart is empty. Our online classes and training programs allow you to learn from experts from anywhere in the world.

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She has a private practice in Suffield, Connecticut. Last updated on January 4, Side hug A side hug is when two parties are hugging each other with their arms around either the waist or the shoulder of the other person.

Friend hug A friend hug is a traditional, two-armed hug where both people's chests are touching. Hugging from behind Depending on how this hug is executed, it could indicate a romantic relationship or a parent-child relationship. Hugging around the waist With this type of hug, both partners' waists are completely aligned and their arms are wrapped around each other's waists. Bear hug, aka tight hug with a squeeze Bear hugs are most commonly done standing up.

One-sided hug In a one-sided hug, both people are facing each other. Heart-to-heart hug In a heart to heart hug, both huggers approach the embrace with their left sides, so their hearts touch first. The health benefits of hugging. Consistent with older studies, the researchers determined that most people show a preference for right-sided hugs. At the same time, it emerged that left-sided hugs occur more frequently in positive as well as negative situations.

To investigate the influence of handedness and footedness, the researchers subsequently asked test participants to hug a mannequin after listening to various positive, negative and neutral short stories via headphones. Right-handed people tend to hug the other person from the right side, much more often than left-handed people, Packheiser said.