The Power of Touch

I was discussing touch today. I don't know exactly how the topic of it came up, and I do know that for some people it is a painful topic. For others, it is a wonderful topic. Yet for more, at a conscious level, it's neither here nor there.

I went and did mini-research on the topic, and came across Sandra Blanton's paper to satisfy the requirements of her doctorate degree in Philosophy. It is well-written, and brings up some interesting points. And that was just in the beginning.

Did you know that for a 150lb (73-ish kg) person there is 20ft square of skin? Here's a quote:
"Skin is the most important organ in the sense of touch. Through the skin we differentiate warmth, cold, pain and touch. A touch, a kiss and an embrace causes friction to produce electric currents which are transmitted to the brain by millions of nerve endings of the skin. On our skin are produced major electrical storms in the electricity of love (daSilva, 1984).
...
Why the need for touch? There is a need for positive solutions for countering the effects of the growing depersonalization of our times. To all of us with bodies, in an increasingly disembodied world, we need a passionate reminder that touch is essential to health and happiness. We need documentation that the terrain of our touch-starved culture gives concrete suggestions on how to be more in touch with ourselves, and therefore with others. Survival is based on our receiving affection. Only then can we develop, love, survive and thrive. Learning about our need for touch could bring unusual insight and wisdom to understanding the nature of human ... love ... Can we agree that touch is not just for lovers? What is the comparison between sensual touching and healing touch? Why does bonding matter to human babies who are born helpless? This is an area which requires more investigation in order to answer our need for conducting this Meta analysis."

And so she continues to unfold her study.
So I start thinking; touch has seemed to be a more "feminine" thing. Y/N?
Can you make a list of the kinds of touch physical you are aware of between humans, and the range of emotions they represent?
I guess so.
I could go on forever, but here are a few:

Touching fingertips, fingers, brushing a hand or arm ...
Mother/Daughter hug or kiss
Son/Mother hug
Son/Father hug
A comforting embrace for someone going through an emotionally difficult time
Giving a hug in greeting/parting
Giving an Italian, English, or "Eskimo" kiss
Fighting for the ball in soccer, rugby, football, etc
Scrimmage in front of the net in hockey
The victory pile-on in any sport
Contact martial arts
Boxing
Fists-only bar fights
Fully sober fist fights

The list is endless, but above is an example of how touch can exhibit a range of emotions, and each example makes the situation "memorable", as in, whether good or bad, you remember the situation better based on that touch.
Touch can be a stand-alone phenomena, but often it is also surrounded by other issues, such as respect. How do you handle touch as a subject. If someone touches you, or reminisces on times when contact has been made, how do you react? Or does touch stand as a private language on its own, requiring no interpretation? I think touch is a confusing and personal enough topic that it is extremely beneficial to bridge the topic of touch in communication verbally, as well as just in silence. That doesn't mean talk to your bestest friend about why you hug "hi", but to invest in building a strong bond or relationship with those you are in contact with, for the purpose of bringing that relationship of touch to a higher level, all-round. This goes for bf/gf, to Mother/Daughter, to Husband/Wife, to sports relationships. Each relationship needs to include a communication level that goes above the physical level. Look around your world. How does touch affect you?