Warming the Ice: The Role of Social Touch and Physical Warmth on First Impressions in Virtual Reality

First impressions are critical in shaping social interactions, with perceptions of interpersonal warmth playing a central role in fostering positive judgments. Social touch, such as handshake, conveys both interpersonal and physical warmth, potentially influencing impressions and social proximity. Using VR and haptic technologies, we explore how handshake temperature (warm or cold) affects first impressions, and interpersonal distance, during interactions with a virtual agent. We aim to discuss the implications for designing more engaging and realistic human-agent interactions, with a focus on the role of haptic feedback in fostering positive impressions.