National income inequality predicts cultural variation in mouth to mouth kissing

Abstract

Romantic mouth-to-mouth kissing is culturally widespread, although not a human universal, and may play a functional role in assessing partner health and maintaining long-term pair bonds. Use and appreciation of kissing may therefore vary according to whether the environment places a premium on good health and partner investment. Here, we test for cultural variation (13 countries from six continents) in these behaviours/attitudes according to national health (historical pathogen prevalence) and both absolute (GDP) and relative wealth (GINI). Our data reveal that kissing is valued more in established relationships than it is valued during courtship. Also, consistent with the pair bonding hypothesis of the function of romantic kissing, relative poverty (income inequality) predicts frequency of kissing across romantic relationships. When aggregated, the predicted relationship between income inequality and kissing frequency ( r = 0.67, BCa 95% CI[0.32,0.89]) was over five times the size of the null correlations between income inequality and frequency of hugging/cuddling and sex. As social complexity requires monitoring resource competition among large groups and predicts kissing prevalence in remote societies, this gesture may be important in the maintenance of long-term pair bonds in specific environments.

Subject and partner satisfaction with lip and perioral enhancement using flexible hyaluronic acid fillers

“…To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first HA dermal filler clinical study to assess partner satisfaction as well as subject satisfaction, and as such provides novel insights into optimizing satisfaction with lip augmentation treatments. Since kissing is particularly valued in established relationships and is associated with greater enjoyment of life in older adults, the sensation of kissing and natural feel of treated lips should be comparable or better than before treatment for both patients and their partners 18,19,24 . This reassures patients that treatment does not negatively affect this important aspect of a relationship.…”

“…Since kissing is particularly valued in established relationships and is associated with greater enjoyment of life in older adults, the sensation of kissing and natural feel of treated lips should be comparable or better than before treatment for both patients and their partners. 18,19,24 This reassures patients that treatment does not negatively affect this important aspect of a relationship.…”

“…This secondary publication reports the results of subject and, importantly, partner satisfaction compared with pretreatment; this is the first clinical study we are aware of assessing partner satisfaction, in addition to subject satisfaction, following lip filler injections. This is particularly relevant for lip augmentation as kissing is valued in established relationships, and so it is important to assess whether both parties are satisfied with the results so that patients can be reassured that it will not negatively affect this aspect of their relationship 18,19 …”

“…This is particularly relevant for lip augmentation as kissing is valued in established relationships, and so it is important to assess whether both parties are satisfied with the results so that patients can be reassured that it will not negatively affect this aspect of their relationship. 18,19…”

Donald Trump, Boris Johnson, and other leaders win Ig Nobel awards for teaching people about life and death

“…“Kissing plays a role in keeping human pair bonds together,” he said. In countries with greater income inequality, his team’s research showed that people kiss more often to show they are committed to their partner because commitment is more important in a harsh environment 1…”