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Kiss

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"Butterfly kisses" redirects here. For the song, see Butterfly Kisses.
The Kiss by Francesco Hayez, 19th century.

A kiss is the touching of one person's lips to another place, which is used as an expression of affection or to show respect, and as a greeting or a farewell; kissing can be used to express romantic affection or sexual desire. The word comes from Old English cyssan "to kiss," in turn from coss "a kiss."

Biology and Evolution

Kissing Black-tailed Prairie Dogs

Anthropologists have not reached a consensus as to whether kissing is a learned or an instinctive behavior. It may be related to grooming behavior also seen between other animals, or arising as a result of mothers premasticating food for their children.[1] Kissing allows prospective mates to smell and taste each other's pheromones for biological compatibility. Women are subconsciously more attracted to men whose major histocompatibility complex portion of their genome is different from their own, leading to offspring with resistance to a greater number of diseases, and thus having a better chance of survival.[2] [3] [4] This explains why couples are more likely to bond if they have the right "chemistry." Also, a study by researchers at University at Albany found that women use kissing as a tool to find the right father for their children and to judge men on the quality of the first kiss that they share.

Non-human primates also exhibit kissing behavior.[5]

Other than primates there are also animals, particularly many species of birds that exhibit beak-to-beak and mouth-to-mouth behavior which is typically interpreted by observers as kissing. Dogs, cats, and other animals display licking and grooming behavior among themselves, but also towards humans or other different species that is typically interpreted by observers as a type of kissing, but some may see this as anthropomorphisising the actions of animals.

Kissing as affection in different cultures

In modern Western culture, kissing is most commonly an expression of affection. This is unlike many parts of the world where kissing may have different meanings. Some literatures even suggest that a significant percentage of humanity do not kiss [6].

In Middle Eastern countries till recent times, kissing was only considered proper when between two men, two women, or parents kissing their children. Kissing was not looked upon as a sexual expression in the Middle East.

In African, Native American and Polynesian cultures, kissing was unknown till introduced by European and Western influence.[citation needed]

In Eastern European countries till recent times, kissing between two men on the lips as a greeting or a farewell was as normal as the modern Western handshake. This custom has nearly died out due to Western influence. In the past, kissing wasn't considered sexual in Slavic and Muslim countries.

Between people of close acquaintance, a reciprocal kiss often is offered as a greeting or farewell. This kind of kiss is typically made by brief contact of puckered lips to the skin of the cheek or no contact at all, and merely performed in the air near the cheek with the cheeks touching. Such kissing is a common greeting in European and Latin American countries between a man and a woman or between two women but also by two men in parts of Europe, the Middle East and Latin America, such as Argentina. However, in most Western societies, it is often more acceptable for women to kiss each other than men kissing each other. People sometimes kiss children to comfort them or show affection, and vice versa. This usually takes place on the forehead or cheek.

As an expression of romantic affection or sexual desire, kissing involves two people pressing their lips together, usually with much more intensity, and for a considerably longer period of time. In more passionate kissing couples may open their mouths, suck on each other's lips, or move their tongues into each others' mouths (see French kiss). Sexual kissing may also involve one person kissing another on various parts of the body (see Foreplay).

In some countries kissing booths exist, often at carnivals a person kisses people for money. [7] [8]

Asymmetry in kissing

The Kiss by Gustav Klimt.

To avoid a clash of noses while kissing, couples often turn their faces slightly to one side, thereby orienting their heads at an angle with respect to each other. To make this position more comfortable, one member of the couple may support the other, perhaps across the lap or in an embrace—thus combining hugging with kissing. The person supporting the other may tend to take the more active role in the kiss. Writing in Nature, psychologist Onur Güntürkün observed couples kissing in public places such as airports and parks; his research demonstrated that by a 2:1 ratio the direction of turn is more frequently to the right than to the left. Güntürkün ascribed this asymmetry to a neonatal right-side preference.[9]

The anatomy of kissing

Kissing is a complex behavior that requires significant muscular coordination; in fact, a total of thirty four muscles working cooperatively. The most important muscle involved is the orbicularis oris muscle, which is used to pucker the lips and informally known as the kissing muscle. The tongue can also be an important part of the kiss. Lips have many nerve endings so they are sensitive to touch and bite.

Kissing body parts

Classic "one-knee" proposal, ca. 1815

Kissing lips is common, as are other body parts such as the cheeks, forehead, neck, hand, etc. Kissing the hand is common practice when proposing marriage. Kissing body parts is common during foreplay.

Symbolic kissing

A kiss can be "blown" using actions of the hand and the mouth. One person kisses their fingers and then pretends to blow it to the other person. This is used to convey affection, usually when parting or when the partners are physically distant but can view each other. Blown kisses are also used when a person wishes to convey affection to a large crowd or audience.

In written correspondence a kiss has been represented by the letter 'X' since at least 1763.[10]

Screen kiss

A screen kiss is one portrayed in a film (the equivalent act in a play is known as a stage kiss). The plot of a film or play may involve characters falling in love with each other, but the actors playing the roles might not have any personal relationship with each other whatsoever, though it has been known to happen that real-life lovers will star in films together.

Disease transmission

Diseases which may be transmitted via kissing include mononucleosis and herpes, in which the infectious organism is present in saliva. Research indicates that contraction of HIV via kissing is extremely unlikely, if not impossible.

Notable kisses

In history

  • At the Diocleia festival at Megara in honour of Diocles, lover of Philolaus, a kissing contest was held in which boys would kiss a male judge, who awarded a laurel wreath to the boy he deemed the best kisser.[11]
  • The Romans distinguished three types of kiss: osculum, a friendship kiss on the cheek; basium, a kiss of affection on the lips; and suavium (also known as savium), a lovers' deep kiss.
  • Lord Nelson, British naval commander, famously requested "Kiss me, Hardy", as he lay dying (although they were not, as often reported, his last words).

In religion

In folklore

  • Both the fairytale "Sleeping Beauty" and the Greek myth of Pygmalion and Galatea, a romantic kiss is used by a male to awaken or breathe life into a female.
  • In modern American versions of the fairytale "Frog Prince," it is the male who is transformed into the prince from the frog kissed by the beautiful female princess.

In art

Auguste Rodin's The Kiss.
  • Works entitled The Kiss were painted by Gustav Klimt, Francesco Hayez and Edvard Munch.
  • Auguste Rodin created the sculpture The Kiss (Le Baiser).
  • Andy Warhol made an avant-garde film, the kiss, closeups of couples kissing.
  • The French photographer Robert Doisneau shot a couple kissing by the Hotel de Ville (Paris) in 1950. The photo, later called "The Kiss," is now considered a classic, a fact one couple alleging to be the subjects of the photo attempted to exploit in their unsuccessful 1990s lawsuit against the photographer.
  • Tanya Chalkin's Kiss, a black-and-white photo of two young women embracing, has become something of a pop culture icon in recent years.

In film

  • The Kiss, an 1896 short film, features the first known screen kiss, a forty-seven second recreation of a stage kiss from the musical The Widow Jones. The movie was considered scandalous at the time of its release but has since entered film history as one of the most memorable early films.
  • The Kid is a 1921 film, in which a tramp, Charlie Chaplin, kisses a child, Jackie Coogan. This scene is the first in film history in which a man kisses a boy on the mouth.
  • In the 1955 film Lady and the Tramp, the canine characters Lady and Tramp unexpectedly kiss while simultaneously eating a spaghetti noodle from opposite ends, their lips meeting in the middle. Homages to and parodies of this scene have appeared in several movies, including Hot Shots! Part Deux.
  • In The Princess Bride, the narrator comments on Westley and Buttercup's kiss: "Since the invention of the kiss, there have been five kisses that were rated the most passionate, the most pure. This one left them all behind."
  • In the 1989 animated disney film, The Little Mermaid, Sebastian sings "Kiss the Girl" to Ariel and Prince Eric in an attempt to break the spell that was cast upon her which prevented her from speaking.
  • In The Godfather: Part II, Michael Corleone gives, in Havana, an unnaturally aggressive kiss on the mouth to his brother Fredo, effectively telling him that he is disowned from the family because he betrayed its interests. Michael has Fredo killed. This kiss has been called by mafia movie fans as "the kiss of death."
  • In the first Spider-Man film, Mary-Jane Watson kisses her hero in the rain as he is suspended upside down from a web. This was parodied in the The O.C. episode "The Rainy Day Women", where Summer kisses Seth as he's suspended upside down from a harness in a Spider-Man costume in the rain.
  • In the Italian movie Cinema Paradiso, Salavote watches a clip reel of censored movie kisses that he inherited from his friend, the projectionist Alfredo.
  • During a scene in the 1997 film Titanic, Rose DeWitt Bukater(Kate Winslet), is kissed by Jack Dawson (Leonardo Dicaprio) while they are standing at the bow of the Titanic.
  • In "The Notebook", Allie (Rachel McAdams) and Noah (Ryan Gosling) share a romantic kiss in the pouring rain
  • A look at the famous film kisses in cinema history. Famous Film Kisses

In theatre

  • In William Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet, Romeo first greets Juliet with an exchange of metaphors stating that he wants to kiss her. Romeo starts by comparing Juliet to a shrine that his "unworthiest hands" are defiling by touching, and his lips to "two blushing pilgrims" who want to make it up to her. Juliet retorts that Romeo, as a pilgrim, should not degrade his hands as "hand-to-hand is holy palmers kiss," meaning they Juliet (saint) and Romeo (pilgrim) can "kiss" hand to hand. Romeo asks why pilgrims and saints can't use their lips, and Juliet responds that saints must use them in prayer. Romeo then gets his kisses by saying that their lips should do what praying hands do (come together). Juliet gives in, but playing the saint, she will not move.

In music

In photography

File:Vj day kiss.jpg
The famous Life Magazine photograph taken by Alfred Eisenstaedt
  • Alfred Eisenstaedt's 1945 LIFE magazine photograph of a sailor stamping a masterly kiss on a nurse in New York City's Times Square was taken Aug. 14, 1945, V-J Day. This photo is considered one of Times Square's most iconic photographs[12]. In 2007, a Houston forensics expert verified the identity of the sailor as Glenn McDuffie, who had claimed to be the individual in the photo for many years.[13]

World Records

  • The longest recorded kiss took place in New York City on December 5, 2001, between Louisa Almedovar and Rich Langley. It lasted 30 hours, 59 minutes and 27 seconds.[14]
  • The world record for the largest group kiss was set on 22nd July 2007 in Weston-super-Mare at Channel 4's T4 on the Beach. More than 32,000 people kissed for 20 seconds, smashing the previous record set in France by over 30,000 people. [citation needed]
  • On September 1, 2007, 6980 couples kissed for 10 seconds in Tuzla, Bosnia erasing the previous Guinness World kissing Records of the Philippines and Hungary (for synchronised osculation in 2004 with 5327 Filipino couples, overtaken by Hungary in 2005 with 5875 couples; Filipinos came back in February this year with 6124 couples but the Hungarians responded in June with 6613 couples). The record now awaits official certification.[15]
  • The longest onscreen kiss was performed by Gregory Smith and Stephanie Sherrin in the 2005 film Kids in America and lasted "just over six minutes."[citation needed]

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kiss.
Wikiquote has quotations related to Kissing.

Notes

  1. ^ http://www.langmaker.com/db/Premastication
  2. ^ Santos, PS (2005). "New evidence that the MHC influences odor perception in humans: a study with 58 Southern Brazilian students". Hormones & Behavior. 47: 384–388. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  3. ^ Wedekind, C. (1995). "MHC-dependent mate preferences in humans". Proceedings: Biological Sciences. 260 (1359): 245–249. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  4. ^ Fiore, Kristina (October 2, 2006). "Why do humans kiss?". Scienceline. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  5. ^ "How animals kiss and make up". BBC News. October 13, 2003. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  6. ^ http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=affairs-of-the-lips-why-we-kiss&page=4
  7. ^ http://www.sptimes.com/2006/08/28/Pasco/A_fundraiser_in_the_b.shtml
  8. ^ http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20050927/kissingbears_albertazoo_20050927/20050927?hub=TopStories
  9. ^ Onur Güntürkün. "Human behaviour: Adult persistence of head-turning asymmetry". Retrieved 2007-10-30. A neonatal right-side preference makes a surprising romantic reappearance later in life.
  10. ^ "Oxford English Dictionary - X". Oxford University press. 1999. Retrieved 2007-02-01.
  11. ^ Theocritus, Idyll 12:30
  12. ^ Daily Mail, 13 August 2007, Accessed 7 October 2007
  13. ^ suntimes.com
  14. ^ The International World Record Breakers' Club: The World Record for the Longest Kiss
  15. ^ SMH, Record breakers: Ready, set - now pucker up for Bosnia
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