You might think you’re being polite, or it’s a forced business situation, but shaking hands is so much more than a formal introduction.
Apparently the handy introduction is more a test of senses, with the hand shake being used by people to test the smell of one another.
The study, from the Weizmann Institute of Science, compared the act of shaking hands to the same way dogs sniff each other’s bottoms.
The research found that directly after shaking hands, those in the trial touched their faces twice as much as they normally would – which scientists believe are the subliminal signs of checking the smell of the other person.
Speaking about the research, Professor Noam Sobel said:
“It is well known that we emit odours that influence the behaviour and perception of others but, unlike other mammals, we don’t sample those odours from each other overtly.”
The incidence of touching your face post-handshake increased when the handshake occurred between the same sex.
So next time, make sure to splash some perfume on those wrists before any big meeting.
