The Communicative System of Touch. Alphabet, Lexicon, and Norms of Use

The paper argues that the communicative system of touch includes a lexicon, an alphabet and some norms of use, and presents a research aimed at making them explicit. 104 items of touch were analysed in terms of their formational parameters, various semantic criteria, and norms of use, and some hypotheses on the structure of the communicative system of touch in Italy were tested in a pilot study. Then the communicative use of touch in 3 mother-child couples was analysed, showing how the criteria of analysis proposed allow to distinguish different styles of mother-child interaction.

• Type: Conference
• Year: 2003
• Where: GW
• Authors: Isabella Poggi, Filomena Cirella, Antonietta Zollo, Alessia Agostini
• Keywords: Analysis Proposed Allow, Formational Parameters, GW 2003, Various Semantic Criteria