Speaker
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Mariana von MohrCentre for the Politics of Feelings - School of Advanced Study - University of London
Interoceptive Pathways to Social Connection: Insights from Affective Touch and Cardiac Signaling, by Mariana von Mohr
Interoceptive Pathways to Social Connection: Insights from Affective Touch and Cardiac Signaling
Abstract How do bodily states shape our capacity to connect with others and regulate emotions? This talk explores two complementary lines of research examining the role of interoceptive signals in social behaviour. The first focuses on affective touch: a slow, caress-like tactile modality optimally activating C-tactile afferents, which plays a crucial role in social bonding. I will present behavioural and neurophysiological evidence showing that affective touch buffers both social and physical pain, illustrating its function as a powerful form of social support. The second line investigates cardiac interoception, using cardiac timing to manipulate afferent baroreceptor signals. Findings reveal that these visceral signals shape social cognition, influencing processes such as first impressions, empathy, and self–other distinction. Together, these studies demonstrate that the body is not merely a recipient of social experience but an active substrate for it. Understanding how interoceptive signals contribute to emotional regulation and social cognition offers new insights into the embodied foundations of social connection and has implications for developmental and clinical contexts.