Touch

The sense of touch is intimately familiar to everyone. Touch refers to our sensitivity to the pressure and movement of objects in physical contact with the body. Touch is one aspect of a wider class of sensory abilities, known collectively as somatosensation or the bodily senses. Indeed, despite the familiarity of touch, it is not always clear whether and how to distinguish touch from other bodily sensations, such as pain. Touch becomes especially powerful when combined with active movements of the hand, an ability known as haptics. Touch is also an important aspect of social interactions with others. While a substantial amount is known about touch and its neural bases, there is ongoing debate about many aspects of touch and how it links to other aspects of cognition, including motor control, vision, and social cognition.