Which type of touch is described as sympathy in the provided examples?

• A. Stroking someone's arm
• B. Patting someone's arm
• C. Hitting someone's arm
• D. Grabbing someone's arm tightly

Answer: (B)

Sympathy is shown through supportive, non-threatening touch that acknowledges someone’s feelings. A light pat on the arm fits that purpose: brief, gentle, and aimed at offering reassurance without implying romance or exerting control. While stroking can also be comforting, it often carries warmer or more intimate connotations depending on context, so it isn’t as specifically tied to sympathy in these examples. Hitting the arm conveys aggression, and grabbing tightly signals dominance or fear, which don’t align with sympathetic intent. So a gentle pat on the arm is the best match for expressing sympathy.