【Whydowecry?Themainreasonsayscientistsisbecausewearehuman.Asfarastheycantellnoothercreaturecriesemotionaltearsthewaywehumansdodespiteanumberofreportsofanelephantorgorillanotjustmakingsadsoundsbut】
Whydowecry?Themainreasonsayscientistsisbecausewearehuman.
Asfarastheycantellnoothercreaturecriesemotionaltearsthewaywehumansdodespiteanumberofreportsofanelephantorgorillanotjustmakingsadsoundsbutactuallyflowingtears.
InterestedbyonesuchreportofanIndianelephantcryingafterbeingcaughtCharlesDarwinsentaco-workertocheckitoutbuthecouldn’tconfirmit.
Ifemotionaltearsareindeedauniquelyhumanacttheremustbeanevolutionaryadvantagetocryingpossiblyabigonebutwhat?
PsychologistRobertR.ProvineattheUS’suniversityofMarylandcarriedoutsomeresearch.InapaperpublishedinthejournalEvolutionaryPsychologyhereportedthattearsmayhaveevolvedtogivemorecharmstofacialexpressionsofemotionsincludingsadness.
InanexperimentProvine‘steamasked80collegestudentstoratetheintensity(强度)offacialexpressionsofsadness.Halfofthepicturesshowedapersonwithtearsflowingdownhisorherfacewhiletheotherhalfwerethesamepicturesbutwiththetearsdigitallyremoved.Thesepictureswereshowntothestudentswith“distractor”picturesofpeoplewithotherfacialexpressions.
Thestudentsoverwhelminglyrankedthepicturesshowingtearsasrevealingmoresadnessthanthesamefaceswithouttears.
Thefactthatanimalsprobablydon’tcryemotionaltearsandthefactthatittakesnewbornsseveralmonthstoaddtearstotheircryingsupporttheresearchers'beliefthatemotionalcryingisarecentevolutionarydevelopment.
AndinapaperpublishedinEvolutionaryPsychologyinresponsetoProvine’sworkIsraelievolutionarybiologistOrenHassonatTelAvivUniversitysaidthatemotionaltearsmayalsoactasacallforhelpandforbonding.
Butthere’sanotherreasonwhyemotionaltearsmayhaveevolvedsaidWilliamH.FreyaUSbiochemist.Humansevolvedtheabilitytoshedtearsasameanstoreducestressandevolutionfavorsthisbecauseithassurvivalvalue.’,saysFrey.
Viewingtearsnotjustascommunicationsignalsbutalsoasstressrelieversmayhelpexplainwhypeopledon’tjustcrywhenthere’sanaudiencebutalsocryalonewhenthere’snobodyaroundtoreceivethecommunication.
32.RobertR.Provine