More than a squeeze: Men are more likely than women to find hugs arousing, study finds

Published: 14:00 EDT, 28 October 2026 | Updated: 14:00 EDT, 28 October 2026 A hug from your partner might feel warm and reassuring – but for some people, it could be stirring up very different emotions.Researchers have discovered that men are far more likely than women to remember a hug because it felt exciting or arousing, while women overwhelmingly associate embraces with comfort and care.They said the divide may reflect the fact that women tend to view hugs as a source of emotional support.Men, meanwhile, are generally more likely to perceive interpersonal interactions through a romantic or sexual lens.Dr Anna Lena Dueren, first author of the study, said: 'We found that among participants who remembered a hug, men were more likely than women to describe it as arousing.'Closer analysis revealed that while 3.9 per cent of men associated hugs with arousal, only 0.8 per cent of women did.And while a third of women linked hugs with feelings of comfort, only a quarter of men did. Women tend to view hugs as a source of emotional support, while men are more likely to perceive interpersonal interactions through a romantic or sexual lens. Pictured: Ross and Rachel from FriendsFor their study the team, from the University of Bristol, surveyed more than 15,000 adults who were asked questions about their experiences of hugging.Results, published in the journal Plos One, found that 70 per cent of participants remembered hugs for their positive emotional impact.Analysis found that people who felt uncomfortable with hugging, or struggled to know how to embrace others, were less likely to remember a hug as a positive experience.On the other hand, those who regularly greet friends and family with a hug were more likely to recall such moments fondly.The researchers also found that participants who were more aware of bodily sensations and touch were more likely to remember hugs and attach positive emotional value to them.While men were more likely to associate hugs with arousal than women, it was also their least prevalent reason for remembering hugs.The most common reason was comfort, followed by support, friendliness, and happiness.'Arousal was not a common experience associated with hugging overall, so this finding comes from a comparatively small group of participants,' Dr Dueren said. Closer analysis revealed that while 3.9 per cent of men associated hugs with arousal, only 0.8 per cent of women did. Pictured: Noah and Allie in The Notebook'We hope our findings will help explain why hugs are perceived differently from person to person,' she added.'A next step would be to further investigate how personality, previous experiences, and the context in which a hug occurs shape its perception.'Ultimately, this could help us better understand when and for whom hugging provides comfort and social support.'A separate study, published last year, found that the way you embrace others could reveal parts of your personality.Experts used advanced AI video analysis technology to investigate hugs carried out between friends and romantic partners.Participants were asked to repeatedly walk towards each other and embrace, as well as answer questionnaires about their personality.Analysis revealed that romantic partners hugged much longer than platonic friends. While lovebirds hugged for 7.02 seconds on average, friends only hugged for 2.88 seconds. Hugs really make you feel better after an argument because they have a 'calming effect' on nervesA hug really does make you feel better after an argument, according to a 2018 study.Holding hands also improves a person's mood after a conflict, and the effect lasts into the next day, the authors at Carnegie Mellon University found.Studying 400 people, the team found those who shared a hug with the person they'd fought with were less likely to harbor negative feelings in the hours and days after. This adds weight to other studies showing affectionate human touch has a calming effect on the nerves, they said. Read more: A hug calms your nerves after an argument, study finds