When people are frightened, they often grab a loved one’s hand, hug a pet, or cling to someone nearby. Touch is usually comforting—but not always. “If the person you’re holding is scared, their body might give you signals that increase your own fear,” says lead researcher Dr. Zachary Witkower of the UvA. “Our work shows that one of those signals is breathing.”

Breathing is closely tied to emotion: calm breathing suggests relaxation, while rapid breathing can signal fear or panic. The researchers wanted to know if people could sense these breathing changes through physical contact—and whether that would affect their own body’s response to fear.