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Salutations unify us -

Greetings are an essential aspect of human interaction. They unify us, maintain social ties, signal acceptance, and incorporate us into a social setting. 

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Greeting rituals -

Even before the pandemic, many felt unsure about greeting rituals, whether to shake hands, hug, or kiss. Getting it wrong can leave us feeling embarrassed.  

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Greeting anxiety -

A combination of fear of embarrassment and health concerns has left many feeling unsure about how to greet each other. Greeting anxiety is a real thing. 

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Changing times -

With a huge assortment of greetings in the West, including kisses and tactile gestures, it can be a social minefield. Before the pandemic, movements like #MeToo encouraged many to consider the implications of unwelcome social and professional kissing and hugging.

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Human reflection -

Right now, many are going through a period of reflection and self-doubt. This is largely due to a confusing set of historical, social, and political forces that are reflected in heavily ritualized things like greetings. 

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Something to laugh about -

In the end, messing up our greetings brings certain benefits as we are able to joke about it which helps us to relax with each other and create bonds. This is the fundamental function of greetings. 

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Anthropological reasoning -

When spotting someone from a distance, we initially wave. But when coming closer, that's where the rituals become more complicated depending on where in the world you find yourself.

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The various greeting styles -

Over 150 different greeting variants have been identified from the Victorian era. They include clapping hands, pressing thumbs, patting stomachs, slapping breasts, and squeezing nostrils. Fortunately, for the Western world, the most common is the handshake.

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There are pragmatic roots to the handshake -

Waving or extending an empty right hand proves you’re not hiding a weapon. Some historians suggest shaking hands later became universally popular thanks to the influence of 17th century Quakers, who found it to be a more egalitarian alternative to bowing.  

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An egalitarian gesture -

When looking back to the Middle Ages in Europe, there were many hierarchical greetings. As democracy rose, so did gender equality, and greetings like bowing and hand-kissing became less popular. The handshake became the egalitarian option, symbolizing reciprocity.

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Modern variations -

From a simple gesture came dozens of modern variations, ranging from the diagonal hand clasp, to the fist bump and the high five. 

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Hugs and kisses -

After the handshake came hugs and kisses, which are a little outside of some people's comfort zones. Hugs stem from our childhood need for parental warmth and emotion. A pat on the back may originally have been a subtle form of frisking to check guests weren’t hiding weapons behind their backs.

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Then there's kissing -

Kissing is a bit trickier. Lip-to-lip kissing stems from the practice of premastication, also known as kiss-feeding, between mother and child.

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Cheek kissing -

Another theory for kissing was that prehistoric humans would taste each other’s saliva in order to assess whether a potential mate was healthy or not. However, after the Black Death that swept 14th century Europe, mouth-to-mouth kissing sensibly evolved into the less contagious cheek kissing.

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Fear of contact -

During the pandemic, social distancing may have been a blessing in disguise for some as it was the perfect excuse to neither shake hands nor hug. But, for many, the lack of human contact was a  struggle. 

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The future of greeting -

One big question is, how will we greet one another once the pandemic has fizzled out completely? When looking back at the trends of past plagues and outbreaks, it's evident that humans gradually learned to kiss and hug again.

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Evolving salutations -

But even before the pandemic, salutations were evolving, affected by multiple factors such as age, social class, geography, and changing social attitudes.

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The importance of touch -

When it comes to greeting, touch is very important for humans. It generally de-stresses us as it releases oxytocin, a bonding hormone that is produced during nonsexual touch.

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A social experiment -

An experiment by the Weizmann Institute filmed a group of subjects in a simulated social situation using hidden cameras. Those who greeted others with a handshake were more likely to unconsciously sniff their hands afterward. This is a more modern way of checking out each other's odor.

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Old habits remain -

If we look back at some older, more anthropological greetings, sniffing one's hand after a handshake makes sense. Even if we don’t interact like that anymore, we're still unconsciously compelled to do it. 

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Back in touch? -

Over time, with close friends and family, there is a natural instinct to come together with hugs and handshakes. But this is very much dependent on our confidence over whether Coronavirus is eliminated.

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New normal -

In the meantime, there still might be some uncertainty and awkwardness surrounding greeting, which may revolve around the conventional actions of shaking hands, hugging, or kissing. 

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Other forms of greetings -

While many Western countries are used to hugs, kisses, and handshakes, many parts of the world say hello in different ways. 

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Rub noses and forehead -

Known as hongi, this greeting style is what New Zealand’s indigenous Māori people call a "sharing of breath." It signifies the sacred welcoming of a visitor into Māori culture. 

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Namaste from India and Nepal -

While you might be familiar with the word namaste from yoga, the history of this gesture dates back several thousand years. The Sanskrit term translates to “bend or bow to you,” which means that the person bows to the divine of the other.  

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Clap your hands -

In Zimbabwe, the clapping of hands comes after people shake in a call and answer style. The first person claps once and the second person claps twice in response.

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The wai in Thailand -

The standard greeting across Thailand, the wai, involves a gentle bow of the head with one’s hands pressed together in front. This greeting symbolizes peace and that they don't come with any weapons. 

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Put your hand on your heart -

In a traditional Malayan greeting, you take the person’s hands lightly in yours, then release it and bring your own hand to your chest and nod slightly. This is to symbolize goodwill and an open heart.

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Bowing in Japan -

To offer respect or indicate deference, bowing began as an exclusive practice of the nobility more than a thousand years ago. Now, it's the most widely recognized greeting in Japan.

Sources (National Geographic) (Afar)

See also: Why we all need human touch 

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