Warmth in affective mediated interaction: Exploring the effects of physical warmth on interpersonal warmth

Recent research suggests that physical warmth activates perceptions of metaphorical interpersonal warmth and closeness, and increases pro-social behavior. These effects are grounded in our earliest intimate experiences: being held by our loving caregivers. These findings provide reasons to incorporate warmth in devices for distant affective communication, which could simulate one´s body heat. An experiment was carried out to gain a better understanding of the implications of physical warmth for mediated social interaction. Moreover, we aimed at disentangling effects of social warmth (body temperature) from effects of non-social warmth (artificial heat sources and ambient temperature). Except for an increase in perceptions of metaphorical warmth as a consequence of higher ambient temperature, no effects were found. We use our study to pinpoint the caveats and challenges that research into warmth in affective mediated interaction faces.