A Pilot Study Examining Physical and Social Warmth: Higher (Non-Febrile) Oral Temperature Is Associated with Greater Feelings of Social Connection.

Tristen K Inagaki,Naomi I Eisenberger,Mona Moieni,Ivana Jevtic,Michael R Irwin,Marcello Costantini

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0156873

Tristen K Inagaki, Naomi I Eisenberger + Show 4 more

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https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0156873

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Abstract

An emerging literature suggests that experiences of physical warmth contribute to social warmth—the experience of feeling connected to others. Thus, thermoregulatory systems, which help maintain our relatively warm internal body temperatures, may also support feelings of social connection. However, the association between internal body temperature and feelings of connection has not been examined. Furthermore, the origins of the link between physical and social warmth, via learning during early experiences with a caregiver or via innate, co-evolved mechanisms, remain unclear. The current study examined the relationship between oral temperature and feelings of social connection as well as whether early caregiver experiences moderated this relationship. Extending the existing literature, higher oral temperature readings were associated with greater feelings of social connection. Moreover, early caregiver experiences did not moderate this association, suggesting that the physical-social warmth overlap may not be altered by early social experience. Results provide additional support for the link between experiences of physical warmth and social warmth and add to existing theories that highlight social connection as a basic need on its own.

Highlights

Feeling socially connected is a critical and fundamental goal for humans [1, 2]; relative to its hypothesized importance in the literature, less is known about the routes by which we feel connected to others
To examine whether perceptions of early social experiences might moderate the relationship between oral temperature and feelings of social connection, the interactions between Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI) and oral temperature, as well as between Risky Families Questionnaire (RFQ) and oral temperature, were assessed using multiple regression
Results indicated that neither the interaction between PBI scores and oral temperature (b = .09, SEb = .30, β = .30, p = .77) nor between responses to the RFQ and oral temperature (b = .22, SEb = .27, β = .11, p = .43) were significant, suggesting that the association between oral temperature and feelings of social connection were not moderated by early social experience in this sample

Summary

Introduction

Feeling socially connected is a critical and fundamental goal for humans [1, 2]; relative to its hypothesized importance in the literature, less is known about the routes by which we feel connected to others. One influential neurobiological model of close social bonds proposes that the seeds of our social attachment system evolved from those systems that regulate other fundamental processes in the body [3, 4]. Given the importance of maintaining close social relationships for mental and physical well-being and survival [5], feeling connected to others may rely on the same mechanisms that keep us functioning normally. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript

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