Gooey stuff: the psychophysics of unpleasantness in response to touching liquids

TL;DR

This study explores how physical properties of liquids affect how unpleasant they feel when touched.

Contribution

The study identifies pull-off force as a key factor in liquid unpleasantness, distinct from slipperiness and viscosity.

Findings

Perceived viscosity correlates with physical viscosity and pull-off force, not coefficient of friction.

Perceived slipperiness is linked to coefficient of friction, not physical viscosity or pull-off force.

Pull-off force is significantly associated with unpleasantness, not coefficient of friction.

Abstract

There is a growing scientific interest in material unpleasantness, yet the role of distinct physical parameters in perceptual and affective haptic experiences with liquids remains to be fully understood. To address this, we investigated how perceptual qualities of liquids relate to measurable physical properties and unpleasantness during active touch. We prepared 15 custom liquid samples using everyday materials. Rheological measurements showed that samples varied between physical viscosity 1mPa⋅s and 45Pa⋅s. Participants explored each sample using circular rubbing motions with their index fingers. A camera system tracked finger movements, and a force sensor revealed applied normal forces, pull-off force (PoF) and the coefficient of friction (CoF). We compared these physical properties with the perceptual dimensions from our earlier work: perceived viscosity and slipperiness. Perceived viscosity correlated strongly with both physical viscosity and PoF, but not with CoF. Conversely, perceived slipperiness was associated with CoF, but not PoF or physical viscosity, demonstrating distinct links between physics and perception of liquids. Interestingly, PoF but not CoF was significantly linked to unpleasantness, suggesting that PoF but not CoF is crucial for liquid unpleasantness. These findings advance our understanding of how distinct physical properties relate to perceptual and affective experiences of liquids.

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