Why Do We Cry?

Research into the subject of why humans cry (and animals don’t) has produced several theories. Some say it’s to shed harmful chemicals from the body. Others theorize that crying is a holdover from the way infants communicate needs. And some have said that the process just makes us feel better. Now we have a new theory.

"Crying is a highly evolved behavior," said researcher Oren Hasson, an evolutionary biologist at Tel Aviv University in Israel. "My analysis suggests that by blurring vision, tears lower defenses and reliably function as signals of submission, a cry for help, and even in a mutual display of attachment and as a group display of cohesion."

Crying as a social behavior? What do you think? Link -via Digg

Newest 5

Newest 5 Comments

When a baby cries, any normal person nearby rushes over to help, encourage and comfort. There is an attempt to find the baby's needs, and meet those needs. I really believe that crying is not an evolutionary holdover, it's just an emotional holdover from infancy. When we have unmet needs, or need comforting, sometimes as adults we cry. This triggers those around us, especially those who love us but really anyone in the vicinity, to ask us if we are ok and attempt to comfort us or help us. We do it less and less though as we get older, except in extreme cases, like emergencies or deaths. Maybe it is because we as adults are the comforters now. Maybe it is because sometimes we cry alone, and no one comes to help, and so the behavior extinguishes. I never cry anymore, except when dealing with my parents,or problems i take to my parents. That, for me, is what proves my point. It is a hold over from my infancy, and there is still a vestige of it that my mind directs at my parents, for comfort.

Abusive comment hidden. (Show it anyway.)

I think all the three theories are right in their way since nobody can tell when people cry.
Some people cry when happy , some when sad.Some people cries when they display emotion for others.Some times tears comes out when some obstacle is in eye.

Abusive comment hidden. (Show it anyway.)

some other studies snappy fish may be interested in:

http://www.collisiondetection.net/mt/archives/2006/04/study_using_big.php

and

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6WP2-45R896W-1F&_user=10&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_searchStrId=995070420&_rerunOrigin=google&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=1825b32731d700d64f2b5c47f47b489c