Anthropological studies suggest that kissing is an acceptable practice in up to 90 per cent of cultures. Photograph: iStock. In early human societies, it is believed mothers weaned their babies by chewing up their food and then passing it to their babies by lip-to-lip contact. Yes and no. Most other primates use kissing as a form of conflict resolution and bonding rather than foreplay to sexual intimacy. Bonobo apes — our closest genetic relatives — kiss both for comfort and to socialise. Some studies suggest that kissing allows a couple to get close enough to assess the scent of their kissing partner. Human scent is an indicator of our immune system involving genes known as the major histocompatibility complex MHC genes. The theory goes that people are attracted to a mate who has different MHC genes, who, if mated with, would potentially produce a baby with a more diverse immune system that is better able to fight disease. This, in essence, is the biological explanation for why opposites attract.


KISSING IN PUBLIC ISN’T REALLY ABOUT SHOWING AFFECTION AT ALL

THERE’S A REASON YOU ALWAYS LEAN TO THE RIGHT DURING A KISS
The meeting of lips may feel harmonious, but it isn't. Men are always pushing to make kisses sloppier, while women always want to keep at them long after the show's over. And kissing style isn't the only point of contrast: In light of recent findings by psychologists, a kiss shared between a man and a woman seems more like a clash of spirits than a meeting of souls. Those statements may strike some as obvious and others as old-fashioned, but regardless, they're scientifically proven. Hughes and her colleagues published a study in the journal Evolutionary Psychology three years ago that helped test, and prove, several theories evolutionary psychologists have long held about kissing. The researchers probed the kissing preferences and opinions of more than 1, males and females in their sexual prime — college undergraduates — who were asked to mark their answers to a series of detailed kissing questions on a 5-point scale. The results showed that both men and women consider kissing an important and highly intimate interaction. Both sexes use kissing to gauge the relationship compatibility of themselves and their partners. Furthermore, both may become more or less attracted to their partners based solely on their experience kissing them, a result that lends support to the theory that pheromones and other important biochemical signals get exchanged when people kiss. But the similarities end there.
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As a clinical sexologist, I am curious about how people act sexually. From time to time, I will ask random questions and then post the answers. How important is kissing to you? As many of us have already discovered, a good kiss can really turn us on, while a bad kiss can really turn us off. What is the science behind kissing?
Like, without expecting it to lead to something further? But smooching speaks a different sensibility than intercourse, explains Holly Richmond , PhD, psychologist and certified sex therapist. So, why not pucker up and get back to the basics? Try out these 12 types of kisses to prove that making out is le best for showing affection, communicating intimacy, and being hot AF foreplay. It can be a hello or a goodbye and communicates endearment—like, something you may do with a friend or family member when you're saying goodbye. But say it happens with a romantic partner post-date, assume it's their respectful way of telling you they had a great time, but want to take things slow. Perhaps this is the reason foreheadkisses have been tagged