The Different Types of Hugs and Their Meaning

by Nama · February 5, 2020

Hugs are an exceptional form of non-verbal language and our way of embracing the other has a specific meaning. Psychologist Arturo Torres has compiled a ranking of hugs, grouping them into eight categories. According to the psychologist, there are eight different types of hugs and each hug carries a different message. In this article, we will look at eight types of hug and their meanings.

1. Hug between colleagues

The hug between colleagues or companions is a type of hug that does not require a particular trust or affinity between the protagonists. It is the type of hug that work colleagues exchange after completing a complicated task or after concluding a deal, or between teammates or study mates.

Similar more to a pat on the shoulder than to a real hug, it does not foresee proximity of the heads and does not cause intense sensations. In any case, it is an embrace that allows you to strengthen ties in the workplace and in sport.

2. Side hug

The classic hug gave when we want to console someone and offer them support: to do this, we surround the other person’s shoulders with one arm.
In this type of hugs we communicate affection, tenderness, warmth, we want the other person to perceive our closeness and to know that they can count on us.

3. The Classic Embrace

In the classic embrace the level of intimacy goes up: the bodies are tightened to each other and the heads are close. Generally, it is a short hug, which lasts a few seconds and which takes place when you say goodbye to someone or when you meet a person whom you haven’t seen for a long time.
However, it is an intimate hug that can take place between two partners but also between dear friends and relatives to whom we are particularly attached.

4. Dancing Embrace

This embrace is similar to a dance step: one of the two clasps his arms at the level of the other’s neck, which surrounds the partner at the waist and lifts him up making him make a short turn.
It is an embrace that normally takes place between intimate and close-knit couples, generally in moments of intense happiness and complicity.

5. Visual Embrace

In the embrace where eye contact occurs, it indicates a lot of closeness, affection, and complicity. It is an intimate embrace in which the exchange of glances prevails over physical contact and expresses a deep connection and physical and emotional involvement.

6. Asymmetric Embrace

The ‘ asymmetric embrace occurs when two people are not at the same height or are not simultaneously involved in the embrace. It occurs for example when one of the two embraces the other from behind. In this embrace, there is a desire for intimacy on the part of those who embrace and the contact takes on a passionate and erotic connotation.

7. Distant Embrace

The hug is not always comfortable. In the distant embrace, the two bodies are distant and this can mean the presence of conflicts or the lack of sincere love between two people.
In the distant embrace, there is no intimacy and the embrace is emotionally uninvolving.

8. Violent Hugs

Unfortunately, the embrace is not always a symbol of affection, love or closeness. In fact, there are also violent hugs, characterized by aggression and anger. They are very tight and intense hugs, where, however, unfortunately, the emotions involved are not positive.
These hugs occur for example during a fight, as happens in a fight in a ring.