The Psychobiology Of The Kiss

For the famous actress Ingrid Bergman: ‘The kiss is a wonderful trick designed by nature to stop us talking when words become superfluous’. Kissing is a significant act for human beings at all levels. But do we know everything it implies? That is what the psychobiology of kissing explains.

We kiss when we greet our family, partner, friends, etc. But kissing is much more than an act of love, passion, or a way of socializing. Through this simple act, we develop a whole neuronal process in which chemical substances essential for our physical and emotional well-being are secreted, such as:

• Oxytocin: this hormone has a neuromodulatory function and positively influences affective and social behaviors.
• Endorphins: These peptides are also secreted when exercising, which is why we feel so good afterward. The reason is that they cause well-being and relaxation.
• Dopamine: This is a very important neurotransmitter, as it is the one that transmits the sensation of pleasure to the brain.

As you can see, kissing generates a series of physical reactions that have an important effect on an emotional level, but also on a psychological and biological level. This is what renowned professionals decided to investigate through the psychobiology of kissing, obtaining interesting conclusions.

What conclusions does the psychobiology of kissing provide?

According to science, kissing is a biological adaptation. The conclusions of a study conducted at the University of Albany were in this direction: especially in a romantic context, chemical signals are exchanged by which genetic compatibility is assessed or not. And this can be binding when it comes to feeling interest or rejection for a person.

Psychologists Marissa Harrison, Gordon Gallup, and Susan Hughes published the results of their study The Psychobiology of the Romantic Kiss in the journal Scientific American Mind. In this study, they found that when a kiss occurs, and therefore chemical signals are exchanged, we unconsciously activate mechanisms that evaluate reproductive viability and genetic compatibility with the other person.

This is why we may experience absolute rejection or a very intense attraction when kissing another person. It is our sensory neurons that are acting and sending messages to our brain about whether the person in front of us is attractive or “repulsive.”

But there is more, much more, and it lies in the differences in the way men and women kiss. In the case of women, according to data provided by a study by the University of Lafayette, conducted by psychologist Wendy L. Hill, less oxytocin is released per kiss, so they need a larger amount than men to feel its effects.

Furthermore, it appears that on average men are more likely to kiss with their mouths open and even with their tongue, since they have testosterone in their saliva, which if supplied over a sufficiently long period would stimulate female libido.

Psychological benefits of kissing

In addition to the biological part of the act of kissing, there is also the psychological part, where positive changes also occur:

• It renews the trust and emotional bond that exists between people, whether it be family, couples, friends, etc.
• It strengthens the relationship of the couple since it reminds them that they are more than just roommates and increases romance and desire.
• It produces happiness. As we have seen before, generating chemicals produces a fantastic feeling of pleasure and well-being.
• It increases self-esteem. Who doesn’t like to feel loved, important, and valued? That’s what we receive when we are kissed and what we transmit when we kiss.
• It reduces stress and anxiety also due to those secreted chemicals. If you are having a bad day, give lots of kisses!

And the fact is that, no matter how you look at it, kissing is very positive in every sense, just as the psychobiology of kissing states.