Lutra 58(2)_Bekker_Editorial_2015

Thigmophilia

De thigmofiel, het verlangen naar geborgenheid [the thigmophile, longing for safety], the latest book from Dutch biologist Midas Dekkers (2015) undoubtedly created a wide recognition of the meaning of the concept of ‘thigmophilia’, a new term devised by the author. Dekkers defines thigmophilia as a rarely described ‘love for touch’. Several readers reported almost immediately understanding exactly what this concept means, even after just reading the title. There is currently a gap in The Oxford guide to the English language (1984) between the words ‘thigh’ and ‘thimble’. It will be interesting to see if ‘thigmophilia’ will plug it. In some Dutch dictionaries the term ‘thigmotropie’ has been defined as the movement of living organisms in response to their sensory nerve endings. Dekkers, in his ironic style, started his reflections on thigmophilia, after years of observing his cat, which he noticed to be most relaxed when curled–up, in an almost-too-small cardboard box with its head sticking out. Another characteristic of thigmophilia that he also mentions is.....