Study finds hugs might be the perfect weapon for fighting interpersonal conflict

Pyschologist Mark Thorpe said the "love chemical" releases is called oxytocin and plays a big role in bonding between people. Photo / Getty Images

The best way to combat interpersonal conflict isn't by putting on a set of boxing gloves and stepping into a ring, instead, the answer could lie with hugging.

An American study has found people who hugged on a day of conflict experienced more positive emotions than negative ones.

Michael Murphy of Carnegie Mellon University, along with co-authors Denise Janicki-Deverts and Sheldon Cohen, published the study in the open-access journal PLOS ONE.

Clinical psychologist Dr Mark Thorpe told the Herald humans are biologically geared to react positively to bonding.

"There's a natural tendency towards bonding and connecting.

"Even if it's a little artificial and forced, it may a bit weird emotionally or psychology but the physiological stuff overtakes it.

"Chemicals get released into our brain and make us connect and want to be loving instead of fighting," he said.

The study interviewed 404 adult men and women, not all in a romantic relationship with their hugger, about conflicts, hug receipts, and their moods.

The answers suggested receiving a hug after a conflict associated with a smaller decrease in positive emotions and a smaller increase in negative emotions.

Thorpe said the "love chemical" releases is called oxytocin and plays a big role in bonding between people.

"Oxytocin, the love chemical, tends to act against or lessen any form of conflict we've got.

"Our brain which was set up millions of years ago is primarily designed for survival and looking for problems and dangers," he said.

For every one negative thing we say, it needs to be outweighed by five positive things to release oxytocin, Thorpe said.