Cunning, Manipulative People Use Touch As A Weapon, Study Says

Key Takeaways

Touch isn’t always helpful or healthyManipulative, narcissistic people are more likely to use touch to influence partnersThese people have ‘dark triad’ personality traits

TUESDAY, Oct. 28, 2025 (HealthDay News) — A friendly clasp on the shoulder. A comforting hug. Holding hands.

All these can be dangerous in the wrong hands, a new study reports.

Manipulative and narcissistic people are more likely to use touch in a calculating manner to influence their partners, researchers report in the journal Current Psychology .

“What’s new about our work isn’t just in identifying problematic uses of touch — it’s linking those behaviors to the type of person who is inclined to use them on a romantic partner,” said senior researcher Richard Mattson , a professor of psychology at B