Touch is the earliest sense to mature. It manifests itself in the final embryonic stage and comes into its own long beforeeyes, ears, and the higher brain centers begin to work. Soon41birth, infants begin to employ their other senses tointerpret reality. During the same period, they are highly42touch. They are being nuzzled, cuddled, cleaned,patted, kissed, and in many cases breastfed. So important is touch to human communication43researchers nowknow that people who are denied caregivers’touch can develop serious biological and emotional problems. As you movefrom infancy into childhood, you learn the rules of touching. You are taught whom to touch and where they may betouched. By the time you reach44, your culture has taught you how to communicate with touch. You use touch outof social politeness,45sex, consolation, support, and control. In the U.S., people learn to shake hands with nearlyeveryone, hug certain people, and be intimate with still other people.