It’s Time to “Bump” You Up!

“High fives and fist bumps … have a lot to say about the cooperative workings of a team ….”  Kraus, Huang, and Keltner (2010)

For those of you who know me, you know expressing encouragement is important to me, and one of my ways of doing so is to share a smiling, look-you-in-the-eye greeting accompanied by a high-five, fist-bump, and/or elbow-bump when I see you.  

Since we humans are relational by nature, it should come as no surprise that there is evidence that such physical connection likely helps to improve team performance and promotes cooperation and trust – even at the level of professional athletes.  In 2010, Michael Kraus and colleagues published a study titled “Tactile Communication, Cooperation, and Performance: An Ethological Study of the NBA” (Link).  Their hypothesis was that in group competition, physical touch would predict increases in both individual and group performance.

They focused their analysis on 12 distinct types of touch that occurred when two or more players were in the midst of celebrating a positive play that helped their team (e.g., making a shot). These celebratory touches included fist bumps, high fives, chest bumps, leaping shoulder bumps, chest punches, head slaps, head grabs, low fives, high tens, full hugs, half hugs, and team huddles

Consistent with their premise, those teams with higher early season touch achieved greater performance for both individuals and teams later in the season, even after accounting for player status, preseason expectations, and early season performance.  This success appeared to be explained by greater cooperative behaviors between teammates in the higher-touch groups.   And while the authors acknowledged these results were not immediately applicable to other group settings, they did wonder as to how the cumulative effect of such seemingly insignificant acts might enhance group cooperation and performance in other settings.

Depending on the COVID prevalence in your community, you and your team may not yet feel comfortable returning to hand-to-hand contact for connection.  If that is the case, elbow bumps are wonderful, and though not a “celebratory touch of choice” by NBA players, seem to be working out quite well for our teams.  For those of you who are not ready for physical contact of any kind, here’s elementary school teacher David Jamison, who understands a thing or two about the importance of connection, providing a master class in no-contact full connection (Link).  Why not give this a try with a colleague or teammate this week!  Doing so would likely “bump you up” for the day, and we could sure all use some of that right now ….