Science Behind Closing Eyes While Kissing

Have you ever wondered why people close their eyes while kissing?

Guest Article by Siva Chaitanya P.

We have been seeing this tradition since of time. And of course, we follow it too. Well, the scientific reason behind this behavior is the fact that our brain cannot handle the visual data as well as the kissing sensation together. We don’t deliberately close our eyes while kissing. It is the immediate response that we receive from our brain as soon as we lean close to kiss each other. This is the reason why many of us fail to notice the vibration of phone (physical sensation), though it is in our pocket, while we are deeply involved in talking to others or doing some other work (visual sensation).

According to psychology, the brain can not fully appreciate the physical sensation when it is being distracted with that of visual. When a visual task is going on, the ability to identify the touch sensation diminishes. Shutting out the visual input leaves more mental resources to focus on the other aspects of our experience. So, In order to focus on the feeling of kiss we tend to close our eyes!

A study was conducted in the University of London where researchers gave few visual tasks on screens to the participants. Participants were given a brief vibration on their hands while they were taking visual tests. Researchers found that participants were less likely to identify the physical sensation (vibration) when the difficulty of the visual task was increased. On the other hand, the less challenging the visual task, participants were more likely to notice the vibration. When we relate this conclusion with our topic, the implication is that closing our eyes will reduce visual demands which will eventually increase our sensitivity to the tactile sensation of kiss.

Well, When are you going to experience your first kiss? or Have you already experienced it?