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The aim and focus of this article is to present some circumstances under which hugging occurs, as well as to describe its development from a focus on greeting behavior to therapeutic effects, reflected in emotional, physiological, and biochemical alterations. The sensation of a hug for a single person also can be evoked with electrical brain stimulation. The purpose of this article is to clarify understanding of the circumstances under which this type of behavior presents itself in Western culture. Based on published literature as well as personal observation, the article points to the fact that hugging is not only a part of greeting behavior, but also has its place as a display of empathy and/or gratitude. The importance of hugging from childhood to adulthood is discussed and clarified. The psychological and physiological ramifications of this behavior are discussed.
Forsell et al. (Sun,) studied this question.