Crying
The act of crying has been defined as "a complex secretomotor phenomenon characterized by the shedding of tears from the lacrimal apparatus, without any irritation of the ocular structures", instead, giving a relief which protects from conjunctivitis.
[2] For crying to be described as sobbing, it usually has to be accompanied by a set of other symptoms, such as slow but erratic inhalation, occasional instances of breath holding, and muscular tremor.
A neuronal connection between the lacrimal gland and the areas of the human brain involved with emotion has been established.
Theories range from the simple, such as response to inflicted pain, to the more complex, including nonverbal communication in order to elicit altruistic helping behaviour from others.
[8] There is some empirical evidence that crying lowers stress levels, potentially due to the release of hormones such as oxytocin.
[9][10] Crying is believed to be an outlet or a result of a burst of intense emotional sensations, such as agony, surprise, or joy.
One study proposes that crying, by blurring vision, can handicap aggressive or defensive actions, and may function as a reliable signal of appeasement, need, or attachment.
[17] Oren Hasson, an evolutionary psychologist in the zoology department at Tel Aviv University believes that crying shows vulnerability and submission to an attacker, solicits sympathy and aid from bystanders, and signals shared emotional attachments.
MacLean theorizes that since early humans must have relied heavily on fire, their eyes were frequently producing reflexive tears in response to the smoke.
Weeping is a behavior that induces empathy perhaps with the mediation of the mirror neurons network, and influences the mood through the release of hormones elicited by the massage effect made by the tears on the cheeks, or through the relief of the sobbing rhythm.
Laboratory studies have shown several physical effects of crying, such as increased heart rate, sweating, and slowed breathing.
This includes shutting down unnecessary body functions, such as digestion, and increasing blood flow and oxygen to necessary muscles.
This involves swallowing, a process which requires closing the fully expanded glottis to prevent food from entering the larynx.
[24] Other common side effects of crying are quivering lips, a runny nose, and an unsteady, cracking voice.
This type of cry is characterized by the same temporal sequence as the basic pattern but distinguished by differences in the length of the various phase components.
[35][36] Sheila Kitzinger found a correlation between the mother's prenatal stress level and later amount of crying by the infant.
[38][39] Based on these various findings, Aletha Solter has proposed a general emotional release theory of infant crying.
Crying as a result of happiness would then be a response to a moment as if it is eternal; the person is frozen in a blissful, immortalized present.
Or, as Arthur Schopenhauer suggested, sorrowful crying is a method of self-pity or self-regard, a way one comforts oneself.
[45] In Orthodox and Catholic Christianity, tears are considered to be a sign of genuine repentance, and a desirable thing in many cases.
Tears of true contrition are thought to be sacramental, helpful in forgiving sins, in that they recall the Baptism of the penitent.
[46][47] The Shia Ithna Ashari (Muslims who believe in Twelve Imams after Muhammad) consider crying to be an important responsibility towards their leaders who were martyred.
Basal tears are produced at a rate of about 1 to 2 microliters a minute, and are made in order to keep the eye lubricated and smooth out irregularities in the cornea.
