• FYI: What Is the Evolutionary Purpose of Tickling?
    51 replies, posted
[url=http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2010-12/fyi-what-evolutionary-purpose-tickling]Source[/url] [release][quote][img]http://www.popsci.com/files/imagecache/article_image_large/articles/apes.jpg[/img] Tee Hee Many apes, including orangutans, tickle each other [I]Thomas Marent/Getty Images[/I][/quote] You probably know that you can't tickle yourself. And although you might be able to tickle a total stranger, your brain also strongly discourages you from doing something so socially awkward. These facts offer insight into tickling’s evolutionary purpose, says Robert R. Provine, a neuroscientist at the University of Maryland and the author of the book [I]Laughter: A Scientific Investigation[/I]. Tickling, he says, is partly a mechanism for social bonding between close companions and helps forge relationships between family members and friends. Laughter in response to tickling kicks in during the first few months of life. "It's one of the first forms of communication between babies and their caregivers," Provine says. Parents learn to tickle a baby only as long as she laughs in response. When the baby starts fussing instead, they stop. The face-to-face activity also opens the door for other interactions. Children enthusiastically tickle one another, which some scientists say not only inspires peer bonding but might help hone reflexes and self- defense skills. In 1984 psychiatrist Donald Black of the University of Iowa noted that many ticklish parts of the body, such as the neck and the ribs, are also the most vulnerable in combat. He inferred that children learn to protect those parts during tickle fights, a relatively safe activity. Tickling while horsing around may have also given rise to laughter itself. “The ‘ha ha’ of human laughter almost certainly evolved from the ‘pant pant’ of rough-and-tumble human play,” says Provine, who bases that conclusion on observations of panting among tickle-battling apes such as chimpanzees and orangutans. In adulthood, tickling trails off around the age of 40. At that point, the fun stops; for reasons unknown, tickling seems to be mainly for the young.[/release] So... who's in for a tickle fight? :v:
I love tickling but I can't do it right. :< I'm real easy to tickle though. My skin's super tingly.
I am tickle-proof,but my friends usually punch me afterwards.
[QUOTE=Jvs;26900438]I am tickle-proof,but my friends usually punch me afterwards.[/QUOTE] I can see them getting frustrated and just hitting you in the face.
I can tickle myself...?
Since when is tickling socially awkward? (unless it's overdone of course)
[QUOTE=ImmortalKombat;26900731]Since when is tickling socially awkward? (unless it's overdone of course)[/QUOTE] Tickling a complete stranger would be rather awkward.
[QUOTE=HumanAbyss;26900699]I can tickle myself...?[/QUOTE] Most people can't I certainly can't.
You can kinda tickle yourself. It's not really the same motion as when tickling someone else, though, and it doesn't get the haha out of you. You tickle yourself by lightly, ever so lightly brushing, painting, dragging your fingers against your skin. It's kinda like that goosebump feeling.
Let me tickle your pickle.
[QUOTE=ConvolutedLogic;26900876]You can kinda tickle yourself. It's not really the same motion as when tickling someone else, though, and it doesn't get the haha out of you. You tickle yourself by lightly, ever so lightly brushing, painting, dragging your fingers against your skin. It's kinda like that goosebump feeling.[/QUOTE] Yeah I think why it doesn't have the same effect is because if you've noticed the brain sort of filters out where your hand touches the other hand or your arm, touching your own arm has a much lesser "feel" than someone else doing so. Perhaps it's that "mental time-travel" in the other thread? Maybe the mind knows where and when two appendages are going to collide so the brain isn't really surprised when it happens, so if someone else tickles you the sensation is exaggerated because it wasn't predicted. Or perhaps because it comes from a body that the mind recognizes as foreign. Maybe a little of both.
[QUOTE=Awesomecaek;26901038]Let me tickle your pickle.[/QUOTE] I'll give you a nickle if you tickle my pickle but if we have to listen to Nickelback you can have your nickel back.
My ribs are ticklish as hell. Pretty cool article.
Lick the roof of your mouth!
The palm of my hand is ticklish....its weird.
I can tickle the inside of my ass. [editline]23rd December 2010[/editline] With my foot.
That is awesome. -God damn it freaking ninja. The ARTICLE'S SUBJECT is awesome, not the post above.-
I think that being able to bend your leg in such a way, so that your foot goes inside your asshole, is quite a feat.
[QUOTE=ConvolutedLogic;26900876]You can kinda tickle yourself. It's not really the same motion as when tickling someone else, though, and it doesn't get the haha out of you. You tickle yourself by lightly, ever so lightly brushing, painting, dragging your fingers against your skin. It's kinda like that goosebump feeling.[/QUOTE] You make it sound like some gay romantic novel.
When my girlfriend is sad I tickle her, it releases a lot of endorphin.
UNDENIABLE PROOF OF THE EXISTENCE OF GOD [img]www.a.com[/img]
[QUOTE=Dryvnt;26903424]I think that being able to bend your leg in such a way, so that your foot goes inside your asshole, is quite a feat.[/QUOTE] Your heel could get in without too much difficulty.
[QUOTE=RixxzIV;26900767]Tickling a complete stranger would be rather awkward.[/QUOTE] Of course. The article doesen't state that, though. It states that tickling in general is antisocial behaviour, which isn't true. [editline]23rd December 2010[/editline] which is not to say i don't tickle strangers for no reason though hehHEhHEHhEH
[QUOTE=ConvolutedLogic;26900399]I love tickling but I can't do it right. :< I'm real easy to tickle though. My skin's super tingly.[/QUOTE] I'm waaaaaaaaaay too ticklish (which my girlfriend seems to find quite funny/cute). It's getting quite annoying though because it really doesn't make me feel manly at all. Look at me, I laugh like a girl at the slightest touch! Fuck, I'm almost giggling now because the wire of my headphones is LIGHTLY brushing against my arm as I type this. Motherfucking nerves!
foreplay. [editline]23rd December 2010[/editline] [quote]Children enthusiastically tickle one another, which some scientists say not only inspires peer bonding but might help hone reflexes and self- defense skills[/quote] shit nevermind
I think that people are ticklish to help them be aware of small predators? Like spiders and stuff that could be poisonous
[QUOTE=RixxzIV;26900767]Tickling a complete stranger would be rather awkward.[/QUOTE] I wouldn't mind. Who wants to tickle me? :ohdear:
[QUOTE=AnemoneS2;26914148]I wouldn't mind. Who wants to tickle me? :ohdear:[/QUOTE] :smug:
I'm horrible vulnerable to tickles, I kinda collapse and can't control my muscles properly. One time my friend was tickling me and I was trying to defend myself, when I saw one of my flailing hands move towards his face, so using every available ounce of strength, I curled my hand into a fist and punched him straight in the face. I thought that would put him off for a while but it didn't, in school sometimes my friends gang up on me and tickle me till I fall to the ground, kinda embarrassing seeing as I'm in the second oldest year in my school.
[QUOTE=Hiccuper;26914629]I'm horrible vulnerable to tickles, I kinda collapse and can't control my muscles properly. One time my friend was tickling me and I was trying to defend myself, when I saw one of my flailing hands move towards his face, so using every available ounce of strength, I curled my hand into a fist and punched him straight in the face. I thought that would put him off for a while but it didn't, in school sometimes my friends gang up on me and tickle me till I fall to the ground, kinda embarrassing seeing as I'm in the second oldest year in my school.[/QUOTE] That must be quite a sight :v: Anyhow, just remember this: [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_from_laughter][B]You could die of laughter[/B][/url]... :/ Also, [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tickle_torture][B]Tickle Torture[/B][/url] <---- :wtc:
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