{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,27]],"date-time":"2026-08-27T06:18:26Z","timestamp":1787811506188,"version":"build-2784847793"},"reference-count":48,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,27]],"date-time":"2026-08-27T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1787788800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Psychol."],"abstract":"<jats:p>Sport is often analyzed through visual, physiological, or cognitive models, yet athletes also act through pressure, flow, friction, rebound, thermal change, bodily guidance, proximity, and vibration. These phenomena are usually examined separately in research on perceptual skill, coaching and safeguarding, disability access, and haptic technology. This conceptual analysis develops the Contact\u2013Agency Framework to compare how body\u2013environment, body\u2013other, and body\u2013technology contact reorganize opportunities to perceive, interpret, calibrate, regulate, contest, and delegate action-relevant judgment. A structured, purposive synthesis distinguishes tactile sensation, tactile perception, haptic perception, and haptic experience; treats proprioception, kinesthesia, and task-relevant thermoreception as analytically distinct but functionally coupled; and positions interoception, pain, fatigue, and affective touch as adjacent modulators. Environmental haptic information may support skilled calibration when it is detectable, discriminable, and task relevant. Interpersonal touch may guide or constrain depending on relational authorization, power, consent, and contestability. Digital mediation may expand access or displace judgment depending on mediation function, feedback schedule, interface transparency, and user control. Disability sport and Taijiquan push-hands function as analytically demanding boundary cases that expose limits of visually dominant and one-directional accounts. Five propositions specify candidate indicators, measurement designs, expected patterns, boundary conditions, and limitations. The framework is offered as a mid-level analytical heuristic, not a general theory of touch.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyg.2026.1914946","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,27]],"date-time":"2026-08-27T05:35:13Z","timestamp":1787808913000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Contact, agency, and haptic experience in sport: a conceptual analysis of embodied skill, interpersonal touch, and digital mediation"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"17","author":[{"given":"Yanli","family":"Tan","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Physical Education, Xinjiang Normal University","place":["Urumqi, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Xueqing","family":"Mou","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Physical Education, Xinjiang Normal University","place":["Urumqi, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Shiqi","family":"Liu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Physical Education, Xinjiang Normal University","place":["Urumqi, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Liuhong","family":"Zang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Physical Education, Xinjiang Normal University","place":["Urumqi, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Haiwen","family":"Cui","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Physical Education, Xinjiang Normal University","place":["Urumqi, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,27]]},"reference":[{"key":"B1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"330","DOI":"10.1177\/1012690210380577","article-title":"Feeling the way: Notes toward a haptic phenomenology of distance running and scuba diving.","volume":"46","author":"Allen-Collinson","year":"2011","journal-title":"Int. Rev. Sociol. Sport"},{"key":"B2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"523691","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyg.2020.523691","article-title":"How enaction and ecological approaches can contribute to sports and skill learning.","volume":"11","author":"Avil\u00e9s","year":"2020","journal-title":"Front. Psychol"},{"key":"B3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"756","DOI":"10.1177\/1745691620969647","article-title":"Theory construction methodology: A practical framework for building theories in psychology.","volume":"16","author":"Borsboom","year":"2021","journal-title":"Perspect. Psychol. Sci"},{"key":"B4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"585","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cub.2015.12.067","article-title":"Coercion changes the sense of agency in the human brain.","volume":"26","author":"Caspar","year":"2016","journal-title":"Curr. Biol"},{"key":"B5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1698","DOI":"10.1080\/02640414.2014.915419","article-title":"Ground reaction force characteristics of tai chi push hand.","volume":"32","author":"Chang","year":"2014","journal-title":"J. Sports Sci"},{"key":"B6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1595","DOI":"10.1080\/02640414.2010.515238","article-title":"The defence technique in tai chi push hands: A case study.","volume":"28","author":"Chen","year":"2010","journal-title":"J. Sports Sci"},{"key":"B7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"949138","DOI":"10.3389\/fnins.2022.949138","article-title":"The sense of agency in emerging technologies for human-computer integration: A review.","volume":"16","author":"Cornelio","year":"2022","journal-title":"Front. Neurosci"},{"key":"B8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"465","DOI":"10.1007\/s11097-009-9136-4","article-title":"Enactive intersubjectivity: Participatory sense-making and mutual incorporation.","volume":"8","author":"Fuchs","year":"2009","journal-title":"Phenomenol. Cogn. Sci."},{"key":"B9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"643707","DOI":"10.3389\/fspor.2021.643707","article-title":"Sexual violence and the coach-athlete relationship-a scoping review from sport sociological and sport psychological perspectives.","volume":"3","author":"Gaedicke","year":"2021","journal-title":"Front. Sports Act. Living"},{"key":"B10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"246","DOI":"10.1016\/j.neubiorev.2008.10.004","article-title":"The science of interpersonal touch: An overview.","volume":"34","author":"Gallace","year":"2010","journal-title":"Neurosci. Biobehav. Rev"},{"key":"B11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"477","DOI":"10.1037\/h0046962","article-title":"Observations on active touch.","volume":"69","author":"Gibson","year":"1962","journal-title":"Psychol. Rev"},{"key":"B12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"191","DOI":"10.1177\/0193723517705543","article-title":"Kicking \u201cno-touch\u201d discourses into touch: Athletes\u2019 parents\u2019 constructions of appropriate coach-child athlete physical contact.","volume":"41","author":"Gleaves","year":"2017","journal-title":"J. Sport Soc. Issues"},{"key":"B13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"983290","DOI":"10.3389\/fcomm.2022.983290","article-title":"Influence of aikido and taijiquan-tuishou on contact improvisation.","volume":"7","author":"G\u00f3mez-Lozano","year":"2022","journal-title":"Front. Commun."},{"key":"B14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"68","DOI":"10.1123\/apaq.2013-0110","article-title":"Physical activity and school-age individuals with visual impairments: A literature review.","volume":"32","author":"Haegele","year":"2015","journal-title":"Adapt. Phys. Activ. Q"},{"key":"B15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"196","DOI":"10.1038\/nrn.2017.14","article-title":"Sense of agency in the human brain.","volume":"18","author":"Haggard","year":"2017","journal-title":"Nat. Rev. Neurosci"},{"key":"B16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"263","DOI":"10.1080\/17458927.2022.2135358","article-title":"The quality of water: Perception and senses of fluid movement.","volume":"17","author":"Heath","year":"2022","journal-title":"Senses Soc."},{"key":"B17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"85","DOI":"10.1177\/1357034X241254982","article-title":"On the learning, transmission, and embodiment of swimming\u2019s haptic grammar.","volume":"30","author":"Heath","year":"2024","journal-title":"Body Soc"},{"key":"B18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.2979\/3108.0","volume-title":"Technology and the Lifeworld: From Garden to Earth.","author":"Ihde","year":"1990"},{"key":"B19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"18","DOI":"10.1007\/s13162-020-00161-0","article-title":"Designing conceptual articles: Four approaches.","volume":"10","author":"Jaakkola","year":"2020","journal-title":"AMS Rev."},{"key":"B20","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"49","DOI":"10.1177\/160940690900800406","article-title":"Building a conceptual framework: Philosophy, definitions, and procedure.","volume":"8","author":"Jabareen","year":"2009","journal-title":"Int. J. Qual. Methods"},{"key":"B21","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"678","DOI":"10.1080\/13573322.2013.777662","article-title":"Coach-athlete sexual relationships: If no means no does yes mean yes?","volume":"18","author":"Johansson","year":"2013","journal-title":"Sport Educ. Soc."},{"key":"B22","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"648","DOI":"10.1080\/13573322.2013.769945","article-title":"Coaching, caring and the politics of touch: A visual exploration.","volume":"18","author":"Jones","year":"2013","journal-title":"Sport Educ. Soc."},{"key":"B23","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"227","DOI":"10.1146\/annurev-psych-011624-101129","article-title":"Haptic perception and its relation to action.","volume":"76","author":"Klatzky","year":"2025","journal-title":"Annu. Rev. Psychol"},{"key":"B24","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"419","DOI":"10.1177\/00315125221143256","article-title":"Tactile and auditory stimuli can improve the specific physical performance of para-judo athletes with varied origins of visual impairment.","volume":"130","author":"Kons","year":"2023","journal-title":"Percept Mot. Skills"},{"key":"B25","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"157","DOI":"10.1016\/j.psychsport.2017.08.004","article-title":"Fight without sight: The contribution of vision to judo performance.","volume":"37","author":"Krabben","year":"2018","journal-title":"Psychol. Sport Exerc."},{"key":"B26","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1439","DOI":"10.3758\/APP.71.7.1439","article-title":"Haptic perception: A tutorial.","volume":"71","author":"Lederman","year":"2009","journal-title":"Atten. Percept. Psychophys"},{"key":"B27","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"101","DOI":"10.1080\/03085147.2016.1143726","article-title":"The diverse domains of quantified selves: Self-tracking modes and dataveillance.","volume":"45","author":"Lupton","year":"2016","journal-title":"Econ. Soc."},{"key":"B28","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"737","DOI":"10.1016\/j.neuron.2014.05.001","article-title":"Discriminative and affective touch: Sensing and feeling.","volume":"82","author":"McGlone","year":"2014","journal-title":"Neuron"},{"key":"B29","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"23","DOI":"10.1007\/s13347-017-0266-2","article-title":"My fitbit thinks i can do better!\u201d Do health promoting wearable technologies support personal autonomy?","volume":"32","author":"Owens","year":"2019","journal-title":"Philos. Technol."},{"key":"B30","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"539841","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyg.2020.539841","article-title":"Enactivism and ecological psychology: The role of bodily experience in agency.","volume":"11","author":"Popova","year":"2020","journal-title":"Front. Psychol"},{"key":"B31","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1651","DOI":"10.1152\/physrev.00048.2011","article-title":"The proprioceptive senses: Their roles in signaling body shape, body position and movement, and muscle force.","volume":"92","author":"Proske","year":"2012","journal-title":"Physiol. Rev"},{"key":"B32","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"237","DOI":"10.1080\/026404100364974","article-title":"Force production in the rugby union scrum.","volume":"18","author":"Quarrie","year":"2000","journal-title":"J. Sports Sci"},{"key":"B33","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"92","DOI":"10.1080\/17408989.2023.2185600","article-title":"Pedagogical touch: Exploring the micro-realities of coach\u2013athlete sensory interactions in high-performance sports.","volume":"30","author":"Ryou","year":"2025","journal-title":"Phys. Educ. Sport Pedagogy"},{"key":"B34","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"4555","DOI":"10.1038\/s41598-018-22865-x","article-title":"Mechanical vibration influences the perception of electrovibration.","volume":"8","author":"Ryu","year":"2018","journal-title":"Sci Rep"},{"key":"B35","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"387","DOI":"10.1007\/s10919-024-00464-x","article-title":"The functions of human touch: An integrative review.","volume":"48","author":"Saluja","year":"2024","journal-title":"J. Nonverbal Behav."},{"key":"B36","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1319","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyg.2020.01319","article-title":"Agency from a radical embodied standpoint: An ecological-Enactive Proposal.","volume":"11","author":"Segundo-Ortin","year":"2020","journal-title":"Front. Psychol"},{"key":"B37","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1819","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyg.2015.01819","article-title":"Environmental design shapes perceptual-motor exploration, learning, and transfer in climbing.","volume":"6","author":"Seifert","year":"2015","journal-title":"Front. Psychol"},{"key":"B38","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"167","DOI":"10.1007\/s40279-012-0011-z","article-title":"Key properties of expert movement systems in sport: An ecological dynamics perspective.","volume":"43","author":"Seifert","year":"2013","journal-title":"Sports Med"},{"key":"B39","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"75","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyg.2017.00075","article-title":"Interpersonal coordination and individual organization combined with shared phenomenological experience in rowing performance: Two case studies.","volume":"8","author":"Seifert","year":"2017","journal-title":"Front. Psychol"},{"key":"B40","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"173","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ptsp.2020.03.001","article-title":"The effectiveness of real-time haptic feedback gait retraining for reducing resultant tibial acceleration with runners.","volume":"43","author":"Sheerin","year":"2020","journal-title":"Phys. Ther. Sport"},{"key":"B41","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"21","DOI":"10.3758\/s13423-012-0333-8","article-title":"Augmented visual, auditory, haptic, and multimodal feedback in motor learning: A review.","volume":"20","author":"Sigrist","year":"2013","journal-title":"Psychon. Bull. Rev"},{"key":"B42","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"78","DOI":"10.1186\/1479-5868-9-78","article-title":"Exercise, physical activity, and self-determination theory: A systematic review.","volume":"9","author":"Teixeira","year":"2012","journal-title":"Int. J. Behav. Nutr. Phys. Act"},{"key":"B43","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1257","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyg.2020.01257","article-title":"Dynamic touch as common ground for enactivism and ecological psychology.","volume":"11","author":"Travieso","year":"2020","journal-title":"Front. Psychol"},{"key":"B44","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e000216","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjsem-2016-000216","article-title":"Vibrotactile feedback as a tool to improve motor learning and sports performance: A systematic review.","volume":"3","author":"van Breda","year":"2017","journal-title":"BMJ Open Sport Exerc. Med"},{"key":"B45","volume-title":"What Things Do: Philosophical Reflections on Technology, Agency, and Design.","author":"Verbeek","year":"2005"},{"key":"B46","volume-title":"Body &amp; Soul: Notebooks of an Apprentice Boxer.","author":"Wacquant","year":"2004"},{"key":"B47","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2082","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyg.2017.02082","article-title":"Self-control of haptic assistance for motor learning: Influences of frequency and opinion of utility.","volume":"8","author":"Williams","year":"2017","journal-title":"Front. Psychol"},{"key":"B48","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"97","DOI":"10.1016\/j.brainres.2009.09.037","article-title":"The impact of non-noxious heat on tactile information processing.","volume":"1302","author":"Zhang","year":"2009","journal-title":"Brain Res"}],"container-title":["Frontiers in Psychology"],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fpsyg.2026.1914946\/full","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,27]],"date-time":"2026-08-27T05:35:14Z","timestamp":1787808914000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fpsyg.2026.1914946\/full"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,27]]},"references-count":48,"alternative-id":["10.3389\/fpsyg.2026.1914946"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fpsyg.2026.1914946","relation":{},"ISSN":["1664-1078"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1664-1078","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,27]]},"article-number":"1914946"}}