Tingling and other physical sensations triggered by watching others being touched or experiencing pain are more prevalent in the community than previously thought, according to a new study from Macquarie University. This phenomenon, known as vicarious pain, is familiar to anyone who has felt a physical sensation in their own body while watching a character get hurt in a frightening movie.
The study, published in Scientific Reports, involved participants watching a range of tactile videos, including scenes of people receiving injections, being poked with tweezers, and hands touching fluffy textiles. Researchers found that four out of five people reported feeling sensations ranging from tingling to pain when viewing these videos.
Understanding Vicarious Touch
Dr. Sophie Smit, a postdoctoral research fellow in the Department of Psychological Sciences and lead author of the study, defines vicarious touch as the experience of tactile sensations simply by observing someone else being touched. “It feels like you’re actually the one experiencing the touch or the pain, at least to some extent,” Dr. Smit explains. The study aimed to determine how widespread these sensations are and what influences the type of feelings people report.
Early studies suggest that individuals sensitive to Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) are more prone to vicarious touch, indicating possible shared neural mechanisms. “We were trying to establish whether this is a rare or common experience, and it turns out it’s remarkably common,” Dr. Smit says. The research could have practical applications, particularly in fields like healthcare, where empathy and emotional resilience are crucial.
Implications for Empathy and Mental Health
The study’s findings could be significant for professionals in emotionally demanding roles. For instance, a nurse who feels a patient’s pain might be more susceptible to distress or burnout. However, Dr. Smit suggests that with appropriate training, individuals could learn to regulate these responses, enhancing empathy and connection when needed or setting boundaries to prevent emotional exhaustion.
Vicarious touch may also overlap with ASMR, a phenomenon popularized by social media platforms like TikTok, where videos of hair brushing or makeup application are said to be calming. Dr. Smit notes that the more extreme instances of vicarious touch are often considered a type of synesthesia, where seeing touch consistently results in feeling touch, known as ‘mirror-touch synesthesia’.
Research Findings and Future Directions
In the study, 84 percent of 422 participants reported at least one vicarious sensation such as tingling, pressure, or pain, usually matching the location of the observed touch. Participants viewed 40 short videos depicting various tactile experiences, including neutral, pleasant, unpleasant, or painful sensations.
“We found a surprisingly large majority reported some kind of physical response to at least one video,” Dr. Smit says.
The research also revealed that vicarious touch was more common in women than men, though the reasons remain unclear. “Those with an inclination to strongly feel other people’s sensations can find this really distressing,” Dr. Smit notes. The next step in her research is to explore whether people can learn to better regulate these sensations.
Dr. Sophie Smit, a postdoctoral research fellow in the School of Psychological Sciences at Macquarie University, continues to investigate the implications of vicarious touch on empathy and mental health, aiming to provide insights that could benefit individuals in various professional and personal contexts.
