IMPACT STATEMENT
Our research shows that slow, caress-like touch provokes heightened pupillary responses only when administered by a human hand, and that this response is accompanied by the highest subjective pleasantness ratings. The combination of sensory elements characterizing human-to-human affective contact (stroke velocity and human hand features) emerge as a pivotal factor for experiencing Affective Touch as a comprehensive and rewarding phenomenon, one that holds central importance in promoting social bonding and individual wellbeing.