What behavior is associated with touching as a form of communication?

Touching as a form of communication is specifically referred to as haptic communication. This term encompasses how physical touch can convey messages, express feelings, or establish relationships between individuals. Haptic communication plays a significant role in social interactions and can vary widely between different cultures and contexts.

Kinesics refers to nonverbal communication through body language, such as gestures and facial expressions, rather than touch. Proxemics deals with the use of personal space and how distance affects communication, while paralanguage focuses on the vocal elements that accompany speech, such as tone and pitch, rather than physical touch. Therefore, haptic is the correct answer as it directly addresses the role of touch in communication.