Social exclusion in virtual reality: touch modulates physiological markers of self-regulation

A gentle caress activates C-Tactile (CT) afferents that project to social brain hubs, signalling social presence and buffering negative emotional states. We implemented a Cyberball paradigm to expose participants to social exclusion in virtual reality to investigate the efficacy of touch in reducing the subjective and physiological effects of virtual social exclusion and facilitating self-regulatory processes. Across two studies, we aimed to isolate the specific contributions of CT-optimal characteristics of touch to assess whether the buffering power of touch predominantly arises from its CT-optimal physical attributes or more generally for the social presence it conveyed. In study 1 (n = 42), participants received either gentle skin-to-skin stroking at optimal velocity to activate the CT-afferents, or no touch. In study 2 (n = 42), we compared CT-optimal brush stroking with CT-suboptimal spoon tapping. The Cyberball paradigm elicited subjective feelings of exclusion, which were mitigated by touch, regardless of its characteristics. Not receiving any touch resulted in sustained negative affective state after social exclusion. Touch also elicited heart rate decrease and heart rate variability increase, which may indicate underpinning self-regulatory mechanisms that support coping with social exclusion. To fully benefit from touch in virtual worlds, evoking social presence appears essential, even beyond activating the CT system.