Researchers say a handshake can really seal the deal

President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's special envoy Harry Lloyd Hopkins (1890 - 1946) (left) shaking hands with British Prime Minister Winston Churchill (1874 - 1965) outside 10 Downing Street, London. (Getty Images)

The "continental" kiss on both cheeks might be currently in vogue, but when it comes to conveying good will and instilling confidence, it turns out nothing beats an old-fashioned handshake.

According to a psychologist quoted in the Daily Mail a handshake "not only increases the positive effect toward a favourable interaction, but it also diminishes the impact of a negative impression."

He added: "We knew these things intuitively but now we also have the scientific support."