Did you know you can actually learn a lot about the dynamic of a relationship based on the way the couple holds hands? Me neither, but it turns out a couple's hand-holding style actually reveals a ton about their connection, like if there is a dominant partner, and what a couple wants to project to the outside world. So of course, we wanted to use how celebrity couples hold hands to see what we could learn about some of our favorite famous duos.
To help with this, I reached out to body language expert Blanca Cobb, who underscored how important something as simple as holding hands is to a relationship. "Couples hold hands as a way to emotionally connect and show affection for each other," Cobb tells Elite Daily. "Touch releases oxytocin, a bonding and love hormone." However according to Cobb, not all hand-holds are created equal, and by looking at the different ways that celeb couples hold hands, we can get some fascinating insights into the inter-workings of their relationships.
"Hand holding is an indication of what’s currently happening in a relationship, but you also have to analyze other body language cues to get a more accurate interpretation," Cobb explains. "For example, facial expressions and physical distance between a couple will give you more information about what’s really going on with a couple." So, with that in mind, here is what Cobb saw when I showed her the following photos.
Grande and Davidson's whirlwind romance caught us all pretty off-guard, but after just a few weeks of dating, they are reportedly engaged. While they've only been together for a short time, there is no shortage of PDA on display, including in this sweet photo. In the picture, Cobb sees a couple who “can’t get enough of one another. Not only are they holding each other close, their hand-hold is saying that they’re not letting go.”
She also sees a couple that's in balance, saying, “Notice that each of them is showing dominance in their hand grasp, where Pete has a hand on top of Ariana’s. And she has a hand of top of his. This is a great sign because it signals that they have an equitable balance of power in their relationship.” This bodes well for this fledgling relationship.
There has been a lot of speculation that this couple, once set to marry back in May, is back together. In fact, according to sources, they are not only back together but planning to elope soon — though the couple has yet to officially confirm the rumors. Since they aren’t talking, we turned to Cobb to see what she sees in this alleged couple's hand-holding style.
“John’s hand on top of Nikki’s, this suggests that he’s the one in charge of the relationship,” says Cobb. He also seems proud to have her by his side, as Cobb explains, saying, "It’s a message to the world that Nikki is spoken for. There’s no doubt that she’s his.” Fingers crossed that the reports are true and that she still is.
While it seemed like it may have been the end of the road for Khloe Kardashian and Tristian Thompson back in April, when videos of Thompson stepping out on Kardashian surfaced, it appears (for the time being) the couple might be back on track. As for what Cobb sees in this photo of the two, it's a couple that was equally invested in the arrival of their soon-to-be-born (and adorable) daughter, True.
“Tristan’s hand resting on Khloe’s baby bump sends the message that their little one is important to him,” says Cobb. “Khloe’s hand on top of Tristan’s not only lets him know that she agrees, but also sends the message she’s got a strong position within their relationship. And she’s silently saying that she’s in charge for the moment.”
Can you believe that Victoria and David Beckham have been together for more than 20 years? They started dating back in 1997. Whoa. Kind of gives you hope, right? Anyway, how are these two faring after two decades of wedded bliss? Cobb says it’s a little unclear.
“Even though Victoria and David aren’t looking at each other, they’re maintaining a connection by holding hands," she notes. "At first glance, their hand-hold suggests a level of closeness because their palms are touching. And this very well could be. But, what you can’t see is how much their palms are touching.”
And why does it matter if their palms are actually touching? Cobb explains, “With this cupping hand-hold, the more distance between the palms the more emotional distance you feel with your partner. So, this cupping hand-hold can be deceiving because it gives the appearance of connectedness that may not exist.”
This photo of Kylie and Travis on the red carpet at the Met Gala shows a couple that isn’t afraid of a little (or a lot of) PDA. But with body language, it's often the more subtle aspects that are the most telling, like they way they hold hands. While it's Travis pulling Kylie in for this embrace, interestingly, like her sister Khloe, Kylie keeps her hand on top of her partner’s.
“Her hand placement can signal that she wants him right where he is," Cobb explains. "Or, it can signal to not move his hand." She also adds, "With her hand on top of his, Kylie is controlling the dynamics of the moment.” Sounds about right to me.
It’s pretty amazing how much we actually reveal by doing something as simple as holding hands with our partner. Next time bae grabs yours, just make sure those palms are pressed tightly together!
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