Sex differences in romantic kissing among college students: An evolutionary perspective Summary by Amber Kika, Nina Dangourian, and Esmeralda Huerta For Dr. Mills’ Psyc 310 claas, Fall 2008

Introduction This study provides a descriptive account of kissing behavior in a large sample of undergraduate college students. The study considers the context of both long and short-term relationships. Kissing was examined as a mate assessment device, a means of promoting pair bonds, and a means of inducing sexual arousal and receptivity. Students were asked to complete one of three questionnaires, and a total of 1,041 students participated in the study. The three questionnaires measured kissing preferences, attitudes, styles, and behaviors. The study attempts to assess the adaptive significance of kissing behavior.

Hypotheses Hypothesis 1: Kissing is used as a mate assessment device. Some suggest that kissing is an adaptive behavior to allow people to come into close proximity of each other to taste, smell, and assess other features that may be indicative of underlying health problems. Females place a greater importance on kissing for making assessments about the health and quality of a potential mate. Breath odor and saliva may provide males cues to a woman’s fertility. However, given that males are less sensitive to chemosensory clues, making such assessments of a female’s fertility may be difficult by means of kissing.

Hypotheses Cont. Hypothesis 2: Kissing is used to induce bonding between partners. Accepting a kiss may be indicative of one’s commitment to that person. Kissing may be a mechanism of exchanging pheromones and sebum to induce bonding. Kissing may be used by both sexes as a reconciliation gesture and a way to reestablish a bond after a fight or an argument. The amount of kissing is directly proportional to relationship satisfaction. Men may place less importance on kissing with short-term mates to avoid establishing a bond.

Hypotheses Cont. Hypothesis 3: Kissing increases sexual arousal and receptivity. Both sexes will place equal importance on kissing, especially with saliva exchange, to facilitate sexual arousal and receptivity in long-term relationships. Females may be less inclined to kiss and exchange saliva if they choose not to have intercourse in short-term relationships. Sexes may be more jealous if they know their partner kissed another person with tongue contact, since this style of kissing is associated with inducing sexual arousal and receptivity.

Materials and Methods: A series of three questionnaires were distributed to 1,041 undergraduate college students at the University of Albany, State University of New York. The students were enrolled in psychology courses and were given the questionnaires in a classroom setting. The study examines opposite sex relations as it relates to kissing so only those who indicated a preference for kissing “only” or “mostly” the opposite sex were included in the study. Study 1 asked respondents to report their attitudes and experiences regarding several facets of kissing behavior, such as breath and taste, kissing and sexual behavior, bonding and relationships, and salivary exchange. Study 2 was undertaken as an elaboration and partial replication Study 1. One facet that was added to the second study was attractiveness and kissing. Study 3 examined the perceived importance of kissing practices, attitudes toward kissing, and assessment of kissing partners. The facet of jealousy was added to the third study.

Results:  The results showed a high incidence of kissing among romantic and/or sexual partners. Females are more likely to base evaluations of their partners’ kissing abilities on chemical cues like breath and taste of their mouth. For females an important physical feature that helps them decide whether or not to kiss someone is the appearance of their teeth. Females place greater importance on kissing as a mate assessment device to assess the health of a prospective mate and the partner’s level of commitment. Fewer females were willing to have sexual intercourse without kissing their partner first. Males prefer wetter, open mouth kisses with tongue contact than females. Males were less discriminating when deciding who to kiss or who to have sex with. They were more wiling to have sex with a person who they considered to be a “bad” kisser whereas females were more discriminating. Both sexes agree that kissing after sex induces bonding between the partners. Females were less likely to kiss someone they knew only wanted sex. Males on the other hand were more likely to have sex without kissing a short-term partner. More males than females used kissing in an attempt to end a fight. Kissing as a reconciliation gesture has been observed in other primates such as the bonobos and common chimpanzees. Both males and females felt that both sexes initiating kissing before sex is more important than during or after sex. Kissing styles that enhance salivary exchange are seen as a way to increase arousal of a partner. Both sexes wanted more tongue contact before sex with a long-term partner. Men rate kissing as more “erotic” than do women and categorize a “good kiss” as one that leads to sexual intercourse.

Hughes, S.M., Harrison, M.A., and Gallup, G.G. (2007). Sex differences in romantic kissing among college students: An evolutionary perspective. Evolutionary Psychology. 5,

Introduction: Kissing between sexual and/or romantic partners occurs in over 90 percent of human cultures. Kissing was examined as a mate assessment device, a means of promoting bonds, and inducing sexual arousal and receptivity in the context of both short-term and long-term mating relationships.  -Mate assessment through smell, and taste.  -Promoting, maintaining, and assessing bonds through kissing.  -Kissing as an activity that increases sexual arousal and receptivity and a strategy to gain sexual access to females. Students were asked questions measuring kissing preferences, attitudes, styles, and behaviors. 1,041 undergraduate college students completed one of three questionnaires. Hughes, S.M., Harrison, M.A., and Gallup, G.G. (2007). Sex differences in romantic kissing among college students: An evolutionary perspective. Evolutionary Psychology. 5,

Methods: A series of three questionnaires administered to college students. Study attempts to assess the adaptive significance of kissing behavior. Study 1: Respondents asked to rate:  -The importance of a person’s breath when deciding whether to kiss someone or continue kissing someone.  -Whether or not they would have sex with someone without kissing.  -How likely kissing would lead to sex.  -Importance of kissing before, during, and after sex.  -How “wet” they preferred their kisses. Study 2: An elaboration and partial replication of Study 1. Study 3: Examined the perceived importance of kissing practices, attitudes toward kissing, and an assessment of kissing partners. Hughes, S.M., Harrison, M.A., and Gallup, G.G. (2007). Sex differences in romantic kissing among college students: An evolutionary perspective. Evolutionary Psychology. 5,

Results:  Females rated a person’s breath and taste of someone’s mouth as more important when deciding to kiss or continue kissing someone than males.  Females valued kissing more than males at the beginning and further into the relationship.  Females rated the appearance of healthy teeth as being more important than males, whereas males placed more importance on facial and body attractiveness.  One in seven females would consider having sex with someone without kissing them first whereas more than half of males would.  Males are more likely to have sex with a person who is a bad kisser than females.  Females felt that just because someone was a good kisser would not be a reason to start a relationship.  Females valued kissing before, during, and after sex more than males reported.  Females show more jealousy when their partner kissed another person using tongue because kissing with tongue contact is considered to induce bonding and sexual arousal. Females are less likely to kiss someone they knew only wanted. Hughes, S.M., Harrison, M.A., and Gallup, G.G. (2007). Sex differences in romantic kissing among college students: An evolutionary perspective. Evolutionary Psychology. 5,

Critical Review: Liked:  The background information on kissing across cultures and in some non-human animals.  They used three different types of questionnaires that allowed for elaborations on previous questions and more specific information.  The explanation of how the results were calculated taking all factors into consideration. Disliked:  The study excluded homosexual and bisexual participants.  The study was based on college students and did not take into consideration the views of older adults who are married and/or have children.  Some questions based on hypothetical situations and do not necessarily reflect actual responses. Hughes, S.M., Harrison, M.A., and Gallup, G.G. (2007). Sex differences in romantic kissing among college students: An evolutionary perspective. Evolutionary Psychology. 5,

Test Questions: 1.Which of the following were respondents NOT asked to rate: a) How likely kissing would lead to sex. b) The importance of a person’s teeth. c) How “wet” they preferred their kisses. d) Whether or not they would have sex with a person without kissing. 2.Results showed that females: a) Are more likely to have sex with a bad kisser than males. b) One in eight females would consider having sex with someone without kissing them first. c) Rated the taste of someone’s mouth or smell of someone’s breath as important. d) Place more importance on body build than kissing ability. 3.Kissing was examined in this study as: a) Determining a person’s fertility. b) Inducing sexual receptivity. c) A means of maintaining bonds in a relationship. d) Assessing a mate’s reproductive value. 4.T/F: Kissing between sexual and/or romantic partners occurs in over 80 percent of human cultures. 5.T/F: Females believe that if someone is a good kisser, it is a good enough reason to start a relationship with them. 6.T/F: Females are less likely to kiss someone they knew only want sex. Hughes, S.M., Harrison, M.A., and Gallup, G.G. (2007). Sex differences in romantic kissing among college students: An evolutionary perspective. Evolutionary Psychology. 5,