For a person, crying seems so natural that not everyone thinks about its nature and causes. But in fact, people are the only creatures who are able to cry not instinctively, for psychological reasons, and sometimes for no reason. Animals also have tearing, but it occurs reflexively and is not caused by emotions.
Instructions
Step 1
From a physiological point of view, crying is easy to explain - the lacrimal glands secrete a special liquid, which contains disinfecting substances. They protect the eyes from infection, wash away harmful substances and excess salt. The ability to cry appears in newborn babies, but not from birth. From about the fourth week of a small person's life, his eyes begin to emit tears, which wets the mouth and nasopharynx, protecting against bacteria and viruses.
Step 2
There are several hypotheses about the origin of crying. According to historical theory, the child's memory contains memories of a distant time when the mother always carried her children with her. If the baby does not feel bodily contact, he has anxiety - he was abandoned or forgotten. There is speculation that the baby's cry showed that he was strong enough to survive in this cruel world. If the child did not shed tears, the parents, according to some scientists, considered him weak and could get rid of him.
Step 3
According to another version, when crying, the baby demanded care and feeding from the mother, which changed the hormonal background of the woman, preventing a new conception. Thus, crying held back the birth rate so that there was enough food for everyone. And the mother's desire to quickly feed the crying baby is explained by the fact that this sound could attract predators.
Step 4
But, growing up, people continue to cry, although they no longer need to call their mother. Moreover, tears can be caused by many different reasons - grief, irritation, failure, and even happiness. An unambiguous answer to the question "Why do adults cry?" while it does not exist, there are several theories on this score. According to some experts, with emotional experiences, the autonomic nervous system of a person begins to work actively. If you cry, then activity decreases, and peace of mind is restored. But according to other researchers, when crying, there are other physiological reactions characteristic of stress, which only indicates an increase in psychological stress.
Step 5
It is believed that tears are primarily a social signal that can change the situation for the better, attract attention and get support. Crying is communication, and when a person weeps alone, he too can turn to friends - or to God.
Step 6
Scientists are conducting research today to answer all the questions related to crying. For example, the American biochemist Frey proved that when people cry from irritation or grief, their tears contain more protein than purely physiological reactions to onions, for example. But it is not yet known what this means.
