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Why Only Humans Weep: Unravelling the mysteries of tears

Online ISBN:
9780191744723
Print ISBN:
9780198570240
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
Book

Why Only Humans Weep: Unravelling the mysteries of tears

Ad Vingerhoets
Ad Vingerhoets
Professor of Clinical Psychology at Tilburg University, Tilburg, The Netherlands
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Published online:
23 May 2013
Published in print:
28 February 2013
Online ISBN:
9780191744723
Print ISBN:
9780198570240
Publisher:
Oxford University Press

Abstract

This book addresses the question why humans are the only animal species that produce emotional tears. The book brings together relevant theories and research from very different disciplines varying from clinical psychiatry to evolutionary biology and even the neurosciences and anthropology. Specific attention is devoted to the evolutionary origins of crying, the (neuro)biological aspects, antecedents, intra- and interpersonal differences, individual and gender differences in crying, cultural and art historical aspects, as well as the relation between crying and health. Several popular myths concerning this topic are disproved, while new challenging hypotheses are put forth.

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