Lack of touching leads to violence?

Part of this item is adapted from a controversial article by Howard Bloom in Omni magazine entitled 'The Importance of Hugging' (itself an excerpt from an unpublished book).

The societies that hugged their kids were relatively peaceful. The cultures that treated their children coldly produced brutal adults, according to a survey of 49 cultures conducted by James Prescott, founder of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development's Developmental Biology Program in the States.

'The societies that hugged their kids were relatively peaceful. The cultures that treated their children coldly produced brutal adults'

Prescott's observations apply to Islamic and other cultures, which treat their children harshly. They despise open displays of affection. The result: violent adults.

Abu-Lughod, for instance, reports that Bedouin society outlaws close, warm relationships between men and women. Kissing or hugging openly is considered disgusting, almost inhuman. A couple who indulge in such a moment of warmth would be subject to contempt, fury and hatred.

'The Mundugumor, are brought up in stiff baskets as infants, and grow up as hostile warlike adults'

Ashley Montagu in his book 'Touching, the Human Significance of Skin' (published by Harper and Row 1977), gave a similar example. The Arapesh in New Guinea, who are carried around with a great deal of skin contact as infants, have as adults no competitive games and no organised warfare. Their southern neighbours, the Mundugumor, are brought up in stiff baskets as infants, and grow up as hostile warlike adults.

As various researchers have advocated, babies thrive best when nursed at the breast, when not placed in cots or nurseries, and when carried around not in prams or pushchairs, but on their mothers' and fathers' fronts and backs.

- For a brief summary of the relevant research, see 'Touching, The Promotion of Touching in Casual Social Encounters' by Nicholas Albery and others (ISBN 0 9505244 3 3, published by Revelaction Press, c/o 20 Heber Road, London NW2 6AA, tel 081 208 2853; fax 081 452 6434, 1982, L5-95).
- Howard Bloom, 705 President Street, Brooklyn, NY 11211, USA (tel 718 622 2278).

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