>Girls are supposed to be touchy-feely and grab arms and caress hands and thighs without needing a reason; it's just something females are expected to do. But I don't like touching people. It's uncomfortable. I worry that not touching him for any reason may be sending negative signals. How much weight do guys place on how often a girl willingly touches you?
At least you're aware of this.
To answer your question: in general, quite a bit of weight. I'm going to make this very simple for you.
MOST people, in GENERAL, have a policy of friends first before dating. Okay, fine. Your significant other is your best friend. Great!
What makes them different from all of your other friends?
YOU TOUCH THEM AND HUG THEM AND KISS THEM AND FUCK THEM. THIS IS WHAT MAKES THE RELATIONSHIP DIFFERENT. IT IS THE ONLY THING THAT MAKES THE RELATIONSHIP DIFFERENT. IT DEFINES YOUR RELATIONSHIP, even if you're some pretentious lovestruck romantic twat who thinks "sex isn't everything." Sex may not be "everything" on some stupid cosmic scale, but on the scale of your relationship, which is the only RELEVANT scale here, it is indeed everything. Without it, you're just friends -- maybe even good friends, but still just friends.
If you don't feel this way about the person you're dating, you haven't found a boyfriend, you've found someone to take advantage of and should break up immediately if you have even a shred of morality.