Fist Bump vs. Handshake?

[Euna]

So... this question has been on my mind off and on over the years, and I am curious to see what the AVEN folks think.

 

To avoid biasing the poll, my thoughts under the cut:

Spoiler

Even though I'm a fairly touch averse person, I tend to prefer a handshake over a fist bump, while logically I should prefer the fist bump.  There's less skin contact, after all.  However, every time I fist bump someone, all I can think about is the feeling of their knuckles, and for some reason this weirds me out.  On the other hand, I have exchanged fewer fist bumps than handshakes in my life, so maybe I am just less conditioned to this type of touch.  Is that the real reason?  Hopefully others' comments will help me figure it out. 

 

[Gldlynch]

Fist bump or handshake? I'm more of a high-five kinda gal 🖐🏼

[Ortac]

The "fist bump" is something which I associate with teenagers or people not much older than that. I think it is a relatively recent thing to have developed; the fist bump was not something that anyone did back when I was a teenager. I would be interested to know whether anyone over the age of 30 has ever done a fist bump; I certainly haven't. Further, I would be interested to know if anyone over 30 has ever done a fist bump with another person over 30.

 

Now I have to confess that I am normally a miserable old grump with a negative attitude towards trends like this that are invented by a younger generation, but in the case of the fist bump, I actually quite like it. I can envisage it becoming a normal and accepted alternative to a full handshake in formal situations, which could be good for people who are averse to a full handshake, and also it is likely to be more hygienic and result in the transfer of fewer germs. 

 

Here in France, we shake hands a lot, and I mean a lot. Much more than in English speaking countries. It may take many years for trends to change, but I think a fist bump is a viable alternative. 

[blunose2772]

19 minutes ago, Ortac said:

 I would be interested to know whether anyone over the age of 30 has ever done a fist bump; I certainly haven't. Further, I would be interested to know if anyone over 30 has ever done a fist bump with another person over 30.

 

 

I'm 33 and have but I wasn't the one who initiated it. I do it just to get things over with and move on with my day.

 

I'm not big on touching, but I prefer the handshake. It seems (to me at least) as more formal and respectful.

[Celyn: The Lutening]

Definitely prefer fist bumps because there's less touch, handshakes seem way too intimate to me. And palms just feel gross - either clammy or dry and too soft either way. Ugh.

[.diva plavalaguna.]

I know handshakes are more well-known and formal, but if fist-bumping or uh, thumbs-upping became more acceptable, I would not be upset about it at all. I hate shaking people's hands. Who knows where that hand has been? I've seen way too many people coughing into them, wiping their noses/faces...and there are those dreaded folks who don't wash their hands when they go to the restroom. I see you. I run away from you. Yuck. 

[Skycaptain]

Generally touch averse, although hand to hand is fine. Handshake (I'm British so I don't think a fist bump is a thing ) 

[Homer]

[Tanwen]

1 hour ago, Skycaptain said:

Generally touch averse, although hand to hand is fine. Handshake (I'm British so I don't think a fist bump is a thing ) 

My sons do it - and I can just about cope with doing it with family but not strangers. You can tell a lot about a person by their handshake 

 

[Grumpy Alien]

I’m not at all touchy feely but I’m also not in the least touch averse. I never initiate either so they’re both quite rare for me - maybe a few times a year will I shake hands and maybe one fist bump, if that. It depends on what the other person initiates. I prefer handshakes simply because there’s no complex handshake thing they could initiate whereas some people add gestures to fistbumps. Hugs for me are infinitely more common. I don’t tend to meet many new people who want to shake hands or anything other than exchange pleasantries.

[Ortac]

8 hours ago, Skycaptain said:

Generally touch averse, although hand to hand is fine. Handshake (I'm British so I don't think a fist bump is a thing ) 

I suspect that it probably is a thing in Britain; it is one of those American ideas that has caught on with youngsters in France so I would have thought that it has in Britain too. It may be that you are just a little too old to be aware of it 

[daveb]

I have never fist-bumped to the best of my recollection. I don't like handshakes or high-fives either. My ideal greeting like that would be the head nod, with NO physical contact needed; and hug greetings for a select few people I know well and want to hug.

 

For a while I was suffering from tendinitis in my right elbow and every time someone would shake my hand it would hurt, but if I didn't shake it would appear rude. And the way things work with handshakes I usually didn't have a chance to say something beforehand (maybe I should have worn something like a brace or sling... just to forestall handshakes).

[Yep, me]

I fist bump my cat’s paw, they think it’s very strange.

[iff]

I prefer handshakes over fist bumps. If someone put out their fist for bumping, initially I wouldn't be sure what they were looking for.

 

I'm kind of neutral on the whole thing. I did shake hands with friends yesterday evening but I hadn't seen some in a long time.

[kelico]

I'm an old-school handshaker...my dad compliments my handshake lol. It's so firm and businesslike.  I am confused by fist bumps and have never done one to anyone except my brother when he was talking about the kids at school (he works at a school) and how they always fist bump him. It's not my thing lol! As for hugs, you know I'm a hugger online haha...but IRL I give them sparingly. You gotta be really close/dear to me to get those hugs.

[Celyn: The Lutening]

I tried to train my dog to shake but he didn't like me holding his paw (I think he thought I was going to clip his nails). He gives great hi fives though!

[Guest]

Pretty much, you're likely to lose your hand if you put it too close to me.. lets just leave it at that

[Cat-a-tat-tat]

SNAIL! :3

 

[Luftschlosseule]

I try to get away with a wave.

[Mae 🌼]

Sometimes it's fine, other times it's not.

 

I will only handshake in professional situations and only if I can't get away with a wave or a nod.

 

My work colleague and I high five/fist bump but since they know I'm not a fan of touching he'll make sure it's like an air high five or an air fist bump. It's nice, it makes me feel a lil respected! 

 

[Myssterry]

I dislike shaking hands, I hate people with a firm grip who squeeze my hand, and I dislike the feel of clammy hands.  I shake hands to be polite, but would never initiate it.

 

I would dislike fist bumps in case the knuckles actually engaged painfully.

 

High fives would mean palm contact, so, no thank you.  

[purpleandgreylife]

I'm pretty touch neutral. I actually really like physical contact, but only from people I already know and feel comfortable around.

 

To answer the fist bump v. handshake question: I think for me it really depends on context. For instance, when I'm spending time with my little nephew and he does something I want to positively reinforce, I give him a high five. When he first greets me and before he goes home he gives me a hug and sometimes (less and less the older and heavier he gets) I'll even pick him up or do piggyback or something (every once in a while).

 

I hug my family when I see them as well as when I see close friends since we don't see each other that often and I feel comfortable enough for the gesture.

 

If I were meeting a new person or going on a job interview, I would shake hands. It's a formal way of meeting people that's polite, while allowing me to keep my physical distance from someone I don't know that well and hence don't want touching me.

 

If someone initiates a fist bump, I will bump back, but I don't generally initiate them (I may, but not that often).

 

I would want to cuddle and hold hands with and maybe kiss (closed mouth) and definitely hug someone I am in a relationship with.

[Euna]

Awesome feedback, all!  It is so interesting how the numbers are evening out in the poll. 

Anyways, glad I am not alone in this.   

[Pramana]

I find these ritualized forms of physical contact all rather bizarre. I might want to do some research to figure out why other people find meaning in these actions.

[Holy Ghost]

I was once working at a community center and I had to shake hands with clients.

I would prefer a fist bump or a high five than a handshake. Some weirdos will shake my hand too long and just hold on to it. 

That makes me super uncomfortable. 

[RK800]

Why not both?

[knittinghistorian]

My dad is a doctor, and he told me that there had actually been a professional study done, which found that really, medically speaking, everybody should fist-bump instead of shaking hands, as it's much more sanitary.  That made me laugh.

[Ortac]

... or things could go even further and we could replace hand shakes and fist bumps with bowing like the Japanese do. There would be no physical contact at all then. 

[korik]

I don't associate fist-bumps and handshakes as the same social whats-the-word.

Fist bumps are an alternative to/"modern" version of high-fives.

 

That said, I am touch adverse (because, I simply don't like it, as well as it causes physical pain.)

I hate handshakes. I don't care for high-fives. Eew, germs!

I fist bump with my brother's kids because they are the type of family that forces their kids to "hug goodbye." - I don't like touching adults! I loathe touching Children!

[Guest]

I haven't had any bad experiences with fist bumps, while I have with handshakes. Males have attempted to crush the bones in my hands during handshakes before. So yeah, I don't like handshakes very much.