America has a favourite way to hold hands, survey finds

There are different ways we can hold hands with our partner, and new data has revealed the average American’s favourite hand-holding position.

Hand-holding is a public display of affection (PDA) and many have divided opinions of whether these kinds of actions are cute or cringe.

There has been much debate on what the different hand-holding positions mean and whether that can reveal the amount (or lack of) chemistry with your partner.

But now, a You Gov poll surveyed 11,304 adults to determine how people prefer to hold hands.

It turns out the interlocking fingers method came out on top as the favourite way to hand-hold with a partner as 30 per cent favoured this style, while hand-cupping was enjoyed by 20 per cent of people.

Interlocked hands are the favourite way Americans like to hold hands, according to the polliStockphoto by Getty Images

But there's clearly room to do both as 39 per cent also said that they loved both methods equally.

Participants were also asked about their feelings towards hand-holding where most Americans (56 per cent ) found it very enjoyable, compared to only 2 per cent who admitted they hate doing it.

While 2 per cent doesn't sound like a big figure, it is equivalent to 6 million Americans so there are of lot of anti-hand-holders among us.

Although PDA can be seen as awkward or embarrassing for some, the majority of Americans (62 per cent) liked holding hands in public just as much as in private.

Dr. Chloe Carmichael, PhD, a clinical psychologist in New York told Elite Daily how growing up can affect our feelings about PDA and hand-holding.

"In some families, it's very normal to see. In others, it's not," Dr. Carmichael said. "If you came from a family where your parents divorced and didn't re-partner, PDA could be foreign to you."

She also noted how hand-holding can affect our body: "Even simple touch, like holding hands, has been shown to decrease our cortisol levels. We can actually get physically addicted to mild levels of PDA."

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