6.3.2 Touch
Touch is the first non-verbal experience we have in life and through it we learn to relate to people and objects. It is critical to our sense of well-being. Each person will respond to touch in a personal way and that response will be based on values affected by age, sex, role, cultural norms, background and the situation itself. Australians of Anglo-Celtic background are sometimes reluctant to touch publicly, and especially reluctant to touch strangers. In fact, apologies are made when someone is touched by mistake. Touching is seen as acceptable in courtship, in greetings, especially in handshakes and sometimes women may kiss each other or men may kiss women to indicate friendship or intimacy. In some European cultures men may kiss other men as a sign friendship or kinship.
Touching is an important human activity. However, we need to be aware of the cultural implications of a touch (forbidden between men and women in some cultures) and, in the workplace, of the implications of touch that can lead to sexual harassment issues.
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