Holding hands - Definition and Overview

Two people voluntarily hold hands, apart from in the case of a handshake:

• to express friendship or love,
• to enjoy physical contact (not necessarily of erotical character),
• for emotional support,
• to guide (a child, a blind, in darkness, etc.)
• to urge to follow,
• to keep together (in a crowd or in darkness),
• to help the other walking, standing or climbing up,
• to dance.

Whether friends hold hands depends on culture and gender: in the Western culture this is mainly done by women and small children. In Arab countries it is done also by men.

See also Physical intimacy.