Why does this happen? Is it just because the act of touching is making the relationship more “friendly” or is there a more deep-rooted reason for this? Evolutionary biologists Morhenn and colleagues tried to see if there was a physiological relationship between touch and generosity (Morhenn, Park, & Piper, 2008). In doing so, they studied whether oxytocin levels increase after touch; higher oxytoxin levels have also shown to lead to greater generosity towards strangers, and are also present during childbirth contractions and orgasms. They found that touch did increase oxytocin levels, but only when it was followed by an intentional act of trust.