Touch usually means comfort, safety, and love. It releases oxytocin — the “bonding hormone” — and calms the brain.
But not all affection is sincere. Research in neuroscience and psychology shows that some people use touch to manipulate rather than to connect.

Key Insights:

• 🧠 Dark Triad Traits:
  People high in narcissism, psychopathy, or Machiavellianism may use physical touch as a tool for control — to charm, dominate, or gain advantage.
• 👩‍🦱 Gender Differences:
  Women with dark triad traits often dislike being touched but use touch strategically to influence others.
  Anxious men, on the other hand, use touch for reassurance — to ease insecurity, not to dominate.
• ⚡ Neuroscience Behind It:
  Manipulative touch activates reward circuits linked to power, not empathy. Genuine touch lights up connection areas in the brain like the insula — creating calm and trust.
• 💞 The Oxytocin Trap:
  Oxytocin can bond people even in toxic relationships. A gentle touch after aggression can trigger forgiveness and deepen emotional dependence.
• 🌱 Healthy Affection:
  Real touch feels mutual and calming, not confusing or tense. Safe relationships respect boundaries and consent — where affection heals, not controls.