Why only humans weep unravelling the mysteries of tears 1st Edition by Ad Vingerhoets 0198570244 9780198570240

Why only humans weep unravelling the mysteries of tears 1st Edition by Ad Vingerhoets – Ebook PDF Instant Download/Delivery: 0198570244, 9780198570240

Full download Why only humans weep unravelling the mysteries of tears 1st Edition after payment

Product details:

ISBN 10: 0198570244 

ISBN 13: 9780198570240

Author: Ad Vingerhoets

Crying has fascinated mankind for millenia. Since ancient times, we have known that emotional tears are a unique human characteristic. Unsurprisingly, over hundreds of years, scholars from different backgrounds have speculated about the origin and functions of human tears. According to Charles Darwin, tears fulfilled no adaptive function. And yet, this seems in sharp contrast to statements in the popular media about the significance of crying. Crying is thought to bring relief and is considered healthy – and withholding tears unhealthy. In addition, tears have been said to inhibit aggression in assaulters and to promote social bonding. Perhaps that could explain why tears have been so important in our evolution. Ad Vingerhoets is one of the few scientists in the world to have studied crying. He examines in Why only humans weep which claims about crying are scientifically tenable – which are fact and which are fiction? Though a psychologist, he doesn’t just restrict himself to the current psychological literature, but also explores work in evolutionary biology, neurosciences, theology, art, history, and anthropology to provide an integrated perspective on this complex phenomenon. Written throughout in an academically accessible style, this book is groundbreaking in contributing to a modern scientific understanding of crying. It will have broad appeal to psychologists, psychiatrists, philosophers, biologists, and anthropologists.

Table of contents:

1 Why only humans weep: introduction to the theme

2 The human nature of crying

3 Crying and adaptation: the hardware

4 Crying over the lifespan

5 The antecedents and context of crying

6 The intra-individual effects of crying

7 The social effects of tears

8 Culture and crying

9 Why some people cry more often than others

10 Male and female tears

11 Crying and health

12 Too many tears…

13 A cultural historical perspective of tears

14 Epilogue

People also search:

why only humans weep

why do humans separate themselves from nature

why are humans the only species that cry

why are humans the only species that cries

Tags: Ad Vingerhoets, humans, unravelling, mysteries, tears