Why do humans kiss?

[MaryJaneScott]

Why do humans kiss?

Her eyes are wide as they stare into yours. You wrap your arm around her waist and pull her in close. She touches your face and you lean in, tilt your head â?? to the right, of course â?? and your lips connect. The rushing sensation leaves you little room to wonder, â??Why the hell am I doing this anyway?â?�

Of course, the simplest answer is that humans kiss because it just feels good. But there are people for whom this explanation isnâ??t quite sufficient. They formally study the anatomy and evolutionary history of kissing and call themselves philematologists.

So far, these kiss scientists havenâ??t conclusively explained how human smooching originated, but theyâ??ve come up with a few theories, and theyâ??ve mapped out how our biology is affected by a passionate lip-lock.

A big question is whether kissing is learned or instinctual. Some say it is a learned behavior, dating back to the days of our early human ancestors. Back then, mothers may have chewed food and passed it from their mouths into those of their toothless infants. Even after babies cut their teeth, mothers would continue to press their lips against their toddlersâ?? cheeks to comfort them.

Supporting the idea that kissing is learned rather than instinctual is the fact that not all humans kiss. Certain tribes around the world just donâ??t make out, anthropologists say. While 90 percent of humans actually do kiss, 10 percent have no idea what theyâ??re missing.

Others believe kissing is indeed an instinctive behavior, and cite animalsâ?? kissing-like behaviors as proof. While most animals rub noses with each other as a gesture of affection, others like to pucker up just like humans. Bonobos, for example, make up tons of excuses to swap some spit. They do it to make up after fights, to comfort each other, to develop social bonds, and sometimes for no clear reason at all â?? just like us.

Today, the most widely accepted theory of kissing is that humans do it because it helps us sniff out a quality mate. When our faces are close together, our pheromones â??talkâ?� â?? exchanging biological information about whether or not two people will make strong offspring. Women, for example, subconsciously prefer the scent of men whose genes for certain immune system proteins are different from their own. This kind of match could yield offspring with stronger immune systems, and better chances for survival.

Still, most people are satisfied with the explanation that humans kiss because it feels good. Our lips and tongues are packed with nerve endings, which help intensify all those dizzying sensations of being in love when we press our mouths to someone elseâ??s. Experiencing such feelings doesnâ??t usually make us think too hard about why we kiss â?? instead, it drives us to find ways to do it more often.

http://scienceline.org/2006/10/02/ask-fiore-kiss/

MaryJaneScott Reviewed by MaryJaneScott on 10-03-2006. Why do humans kiss? Why do humans kiss? Her eyes are wide as they stare into yours. You wrap your arm around her waist and pull her in close. She touches your face and you lean in, tilt your head â?? to the right, of course â?? and your lips connect. The rushing sensation leaves you little room to wonder, â??Why the hell am I doing this anyway?â?� Of course, the simplest answer is that humans kiss because it just feels good. But there are people for whom this explanation isnâ??t quite sufficient. They Rating: 5

[birdgirl73]

Thanks for this info, MaryJane! I loved this, and I plan to keep a copy of it. I figure i may be able to use it for something in school sometime. Even if I can't, I just enjoy reading it and thinking about kissing. That's one of my favorite activities. Did a lot of it this past weekend, in fact!

[invision]

i dont know myself but when my GF kisses me......damn.....just....damn:thumbsup:

[napolitana869]

Bonobos are crazy! they use anything as an excuse to have sex

[mrdevious]

I was watching a program on discovery channel, and this very subject came up actually. Apparently they've discovered that there are odours on a person's breath distinct to their direct family line. So when we kiss we're actually detecting that subtle smell, and if the smell turns out to be that of the same family that you're in, you're attraction to that person lessens, the experience being interpreted as a "bad kiss". So basically kissing is a safety mechanism to avoid inbreeding.

[Inferius]

I was watching a program on discovery channel, and this very subject came up actually. Apparently they've discovered that there are odours on a person's breath distinct to their direct family line. So when we kiss we're actually detecting that subtle smell, and if the smell turns out to be that of the same family that you're in, you're attraction to that person lessens, the experience being interpreted as a "bad kiss". So basically kissing is a safety mechanism to avoid inbreeding.

WOW. This explains so much.

[spatte21]

Kissing wasnt really common place up until the medievel days (about 1200-1500) dont know the psychological reasons though. Maybe its the connection of one of the most important parts of your body. Many consider a passionate kiss on the lips more intimate than the act of sex itself.

[sensi skier]

great thread. really interesting, I never really though about why we kissed before.

[MaryJaneScott]

I was watching a program on discovery channel, and this very subject came up actually. Apparently they've discovered that there are odours on a person's breath distinct to their direct family line. So when we kiss we're actually detecting that subtle smell, and if the smell turns out to be that of the same family that you're in, you're attraction to that person lessens, the experience being interpreted as a "bad kiss". So basically kissing is a safety mechanism to avoid inbreeding.

coooool
Now THAT is interesting!!

[qdavid]

Great topic. I just wanted to add my 2 cents. I've found when I kiss, I have very different reactions, due to the original intent of the kiss. When I kiss my child, for example, is much different than when kissing a woman for sexual gratification. In that case it's like my lips feel like there is a direct connection to my penis and I get aroused. Whereas, after I have kissed my kid, I just have told them I love them, as can be the case when kissing a woman, but the intent of the kiss was different. I know that hasn't got much really to do with why humans kiss in the first place but that's my view anyway.