Human-to-Human, What a Hug Means.
Analyze the Usability of an Interaction
I would like to consider the human-to-human interaction of a hug. Representing a form of physical intimacy, it is commonly considered the embrace of two people or more wrapping their arms around one another. Hugging is one of the most common human signs of love and affection and is seen in practice across almost all countries, religions and cultures. The goal of a hug can vary depending on the context; it can be a sign of comfort, friendship, support, or also act as a romantic gesture.
On a macro level, hugs are used to show many levels of affection and are commonly a demonstration of affection. Looking closer though, at the micro level, we can see the features and tasks that coalesce to form a hug. Each of these elements, the individual decisions, oftentimes are formed unconsciously yet are each based upon the context of the situation.
Clearly, to understand these elements and features, we must first understand the task that is being performed. A hug, as defined by the dictionary, is “to hold someone (or something) closely or tightly around or against part of one’s body.” To form a hug you use your whole body, each part is an interface for communicating. Your body is an information source and all of the movements (or lack thereof) from your arms and chest, hands, face, and your waist tell a story to the receiver you are hugging.
“Matter and manner interact to produce meaning”(Barnlund, 11). How hard or soft you hug, the duration, position, and distances between, can all heavily influence the meaning behind a hug. To understand a little better, let us closely examine a few of the common associations of these changing elements. Initiating a hug and squeezing the person closely and tightly will commonly indicate emphatic feelings, while a soft grip may convey a consideration of comfort. Typically hugs are quick and short, often just a few seconds; yet, a longer duration can alter the meaning drastically depending on the context.
How bodies are in contact oftentimes distinguishes the type of relationship the persons have with each other. Hugs with someone you are romantically involved with may include a close, tight embrace, and often with waists touching and arms wrapped around one another. Additionally, these romantic hugs also typically last longer than a hug with friends or acquaintances. Where hands are placed during an embrace can help to differentiate the meaning behind a hug. For instance, if you don’t place your hands on the other at all it could represent apprehension or discomfort regarding the hug. Hands placed high on the others back is typically a position associated with friends, while lower is for a romantic partner. If you were to hug a member of the opposite sex and place your hands up high on their back, but then move your hands down their back slowly, it might change the meaning behind the interaction. Every action and element has meaning, but those meanings might be slightly different for different people, even if they are interacting with one another at the same time.
In an encounter, such as a hug, it is initiated by someone making an opening move, “typically by means of a special expression of the eyes but sometimes by a statement or a special tone of voice at the beginning of a statement” (Goffman, 142). This behavior is symbolic of a mutual understanding or agreement between two people, and is common between many human encounters. Elements that support the smoothness of the interaction include these visual cues, as well as the speed at which the people may approach or their actual physical size. People need to have time to register what is happening and may balk at their aggressor if they are approached too fast or taken by surprise. In addition, there are also unspoken “dominant roles,” usually these are trumped by the physical size of the people but sometimes there are roles that people play. For example, who will be the one to hug above the others’ arms, or hug below, or will they cross arms? These positions are determined almost instantly without an exchange of dialogue, but rather only communicated through body language. Finally, a feature of these unspoken elements can include the ability to deny the interaction altogether. “An individual who wants to control others’ access to him… may avoid looking toward the person who is seeking him out” (Goffman, 143), or they may turn away, or put an arm up to block access. These are all understandable actions for one who wants to avoid, to them, an undesirable interaction.
The principle behind a hug is, as I have mentioned previously, a person demonstrating support or comfort through an embrace. But, we must consider more than just the people if we are to understand the strategies that will enable us to support existing user experiences. “Neither the source nor the subject, however, is as critical as the climate in which the interaction occurs” (Barnlund, 20). Context… Context is key to understanding the different meanings behind a hug, and there can be many. Hugging is widespread across human culture and in many countries it is practiced publicly and privately without stigma. There are principles though that must be understood before the participants will accept a hug.
Cultural context and personal context are two of the most important things to examine when trying to better understand a hugs meaning to an individual. By cultural context, I mean the background of the person and their location; what is the embedded symbolism of a hug in a persons’ culture? Some cultures do not consider a hug a sign of affection; it is not a universal representation. Others may feel extremely apprehensive about hugging in public and view it as a more private or personal interaction. As for personal context, by this I mean the personal space and association they have with other people and their surroundings and the relationship they have with other genders and ages. Personal space is the area around people that they regard psychologically as their own. Identified in a study by Anthropologist Edward Hall (The Hidden Dimension, 1966) there are four “zones” of personal space per individual. Defined by certain distances related to the person in question, they are the intimate, personal, social, and public spaces. Typically no one is “allowed” within the intimate space of a person besides family and close friends, and if someone else were to enter this space the person may feel violated. Understanding comes when a person takes the time to both consider personal context and cultural context, and from there you can begin to build strategies on how to better support existing user experiences. Because a human-to-human interaction like the hug is initiated so fast, often with the initial signal and acceptance happening almost simultaneously, there are strategies to help recognize when things are going well or amiss. One such strategy is eye contact, “when eyes are joined, the initiator’s first glance can be sufficiently tentative and ambiguous to allow him to act as if no initiation has been intended, if it appears that his overture is not desired” (Goffman, 142).
In the end, hugging remains and will remain one of the most common ways for humans to show affection. Strategies can be developed for supporting existing user experiences if they consider the context, but they must be aware that much of it is subjective. Body language is not always clear and anything can be interpreted differently. But for now, go give someone you care about a hug; not just for affection, but because they have been proven to have health benefits as well (BBC News, 2005).
References
1. The Hidden Dimension. Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, 1966.
2. Goffman, E. (1966). Behavior in Public Places (Reissue ed.). New York City:
Free Press.
3. Rogers, C. (1995). On Becoming a Person: A Therapist's View of
Psychotherapy. New York: Mariner Books.
4. "How hugs can aid women's hearts". BBC News. August 8, 2005. Retrieved 2010-10-28.