Can high-fives help teams win?

It happens in every game. A hand extends upward to deliver a high-five or down low to slap a teammate’s behind. Or fists are bumped, continuing a legacy that dates to Stan Musial, who thought closed fists were more hygienic than handshakes. In hockey and football, helmets are knocked. Chest bumps and bear hugs are popular, too.

Whether to celebrate, congratulate, or even commiserate, touching among athletes permeates sports from youth leagues to the pros, among men and women athletes. Long considered a way to build team spirit, these interactions may hold even greater benefits: One season-long study of NBA behavior suggests it just might help a team win.

“Touch predicts performance through fostering cooperation between teammates,” says Dacher Keltner, a professor of social psychology at University of California Berkeley. “You can communicate really important emotions like gratitude, compassion, love, and anger just through brief touches.”