Is cultural context the crucial touch? Neurophysiological and self-reported responses to affective touch in women in South Africa and the United Kingdom

Affective touch, involving touch-sensitive C-tactile (CT) afferent nerve fibres, is integral to human development and well-being. Despite presumed cultural differences, affective touch research typically includes 'Western', minority-world contexts, with findings extrapolated cross-culturally. We report the first cross-cultural study to experimentally investigate subjective and neurophysiological correlates of affective touch in women in South Africa (SA) and the United Kingdom (UK) using (i) touch ratings and (ii) cortical oscillations for slow, CT-optimal (vs. faster, CT-suboptimal) touch on two body regions (arm and palm). We also controlled for individual differences in touch experiences, attitudes, and attachment style. Cultural context modulated affective touch: SA (vs. UK) participants rated touch as more positive and less intense, with enhanced differentiation in sensorimotor beta band oscillations, especially during palm touch. UK participants differentiated between stroking speeds, with opposite directions of effects at the arm and palm for frontal theta oscillations. Alpha band power showed consistent effects across countries. Results highlight the importance of cultural context in the subjective experience and neural processing of affective touch. Findings suggest that palm touch may hold greater social or emotional significance in SA than in the UK. Future research should further explore potential cultural influences on the meaning and function of touch across contexts.