The ancient “huddle”: Why apes hug, kiss and touch before stress

Touching, embracing and kissing before stressful moments may be an ancient way to build trust, according to new research on chimpanzees and bonobos.

Scientists at Durham University studied apes at sanctuaries in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia. They used peanuts to mimic natural feeding and watched the five minutes before food arrived.

The team found that apes who touched, hugged or kissed were more likely to access food and eat peacefully together. Even chimpanzees, known for aggression, engaged in close contact like putting fingers in each other’s mouths. Prof Zanna Clay called it “a rallying cry.”

“Before stressful events, they come together, they reassure each other, they touch each other, they hug each other,” she said. “It’s like a ‘we’ rather than a ‘me’.”Dr Jake Brooker said social touch is likely one of the oldest forms of communication, predating language. The researchers suggest the behavior dates back at least 7 million years, to before humans, chimps and bonobos split.

That means when humans huddle before a game or offer a pat on the shoulder, we may be using the same ancient toolkit.