Julian Packheiser

Papers

Total Citations

105

H-Index

About

Julian Packheiser is a leading researcher in the neurobiology of social touch, whose work has fundamentally reshaped our understanding of how physical contact influences human health. His primary research areas encompass the psychological and physiological effects of touch, systematic review methodology, and the comparative analysis of touch interventions across different populations. Packheiser’s most impactful contribution is his landmark 2024 systematic review and multivariate meta-analysis, which synthesized data from 137 studies to demonstrate that touch interventions significantly improve both mental and physical well-being, with effects moderated by factors such as touch type, frequency, and recipient characteristics. This highly cited work (97 citations) has become a foundational reference in the field, providing robust evidence for the therapeutic value of touch. In his 2023 comparative analysis, he further refined these findings by examining differential outcomes across intervention types. Packheiser’s rigorous, pre-registered methodologies and innovative multivariate approaches have set new standards for evidence synthesis in affective science, making his research essential reading for students and scholars exploring the biological and psychological mechanisms through which social touch promotes health.