Kiss me or else! Study shows puckering differences

William Atkins
Wednesday, 19 September 2007 00:41

Science - Biology

A New York study finds that women and men kiss for different reasons. Women kiss because it’s romantic and men kiss because it’s sexy.

U.S. psychologists asked 1,041 college students a series of questions relating to kissing. According to their study: “… females place more importance on kissing as a mate assessment device ….. In contrast, males place less importance on kissing, … and appear to use kissing to increase the likelihood of having sex.”

Over 50% of the college men surveyed said they would have sex with someone without kissing them. Only 15% of the college women answered similarly.

The article “Sex Differences in Romantic Kissing Among College Students: An Evolutionary Perspective” by U.S. psychologists Susan M. Hughes (Albright College, Reading, Pennsylvania), Marissa A. Harrison (Borough of Manhattan Community College, The City University of New York, ), and Gordon G. Gallup, Jr. (University at Albany, State University of New York) appears in the journal Evolutionary Psychology (2007 5(3): 612-631).

The paper’s abstract states: “This study provides a descriptive account of kissing behavior in a large sample of undergraduate college students and considers kissing in the context of both short-term and long-term mating relationships. Kissing was examined as a mate assessment device, a means of promoting pair bonds, and a means of inducing sexual arousal and receptivity.”

“A total 1,041 college students completed one of three questionnaires measuring kissing preferences, attitudes, styles, and behaviors. Results showed that females place more importance on kissing as a mate assessment device and as a means of initiating, maintaining, and monitoring the current status of their relationship with a long-term partner.”

“In contrast, males place less importance on kissing, especially with short-term partners, and appear to use kissing to increase the likelihood of having sex. The results suggest that kissing may play an important role as an adaptive courtship/mating ritual.”

One of the researchers, Gordon Gallup, said, “The complicated exchange of information that occurs during a kiss may inform evolved, unconscious mechanisms about instances of possible genetic incompatibility.” {New Scientist, page 22, September 8-14, 2007}

One of the conclusions of the study states: “Nonetheless, this study provides evidence that romantic kissing may have evolved as an adaptive courtship strategy that functions as a mate-assessment technique, a means of initiating sexual arousal and receptivity, and a way of maintaining a bonded relationship. While both sexes participate in the adaptive benefits of kissing, we found sex differences when considering the pursuit of short- versus long-term mating strategies.”
The conclusion went on to say,“We suspect that overall, women place a greater importance on kissing not only to make more judicious mate assessments, but for those in committed relationships kissing is used (wittingly or not) to update, monitor, and assess the status of their partner’s continuing commitment (or lack thereof) to the relationship. Males tend to employ romantic kissing as a means of increasing sexual receptivity and gaining sexual access, to affect conflict resolution, and to possibly monitor the fertility of his mate”