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Tickling and emotion: What are the emotional effects of being tickled?
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What are the emotional effects of being tickled?
The emotional effects that are evoked by being tickled depend largely on the level of the tickle stimulation. Both pleasant and aversive emotions are associated with being tickled.
- Knismesis evokes negative emotions such as feeling annoyed or irritated.
- Gargalesis is a laughter-inducing tickle, which suggests the experience of positive emotions.
What are the mechanisms that underlie tickle?
Two types of tickle (Hall & Allin, 1897)
Researchers have found that tickle stimulation triggers a release of dopamine in the nucleus accumbens (Hori et al., 2013).
- Nucleus accumbens is known as the reward centre of the brain.
- Suggests that being tickled is perceived by the brain as a rewarding and pleasurable experience.
Knismesis
A light or feather-type sensation resulting from a light movement across the skin with the added component of motion.
Gargalesis
A rougher, deeper-pressure movement that is stroked across the skin in certain regions of the body.
Tickling and emotion
References
- What is tickle?
- What are the emotional effects of being tickled?
- What are the underlying mechanisms of tickle?
Hall, G. & Allin, A. (1897). The psychology of tickling, laughing, and the comic. The American Journal Of Psychology, 9(1), 1. http://dx.doi.org/10/2307/1411471
Harris, C. (1999). The mystery of ticklish laughter pleasure or pain? social response or reflex? tickling and the laughter it induces are an enigmatic aspect of our primate heritage. American Scientist, 87(4), 344-351.
Hori, M., Shimoju, R., Tokunaga, R., Ohkubo, M., Miyabe, S., & Ohnishi, J. et al. (2013). Tickling increases dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens and 50 kHz ultrasonic vocalizations in adolescent rats. Neuroreport, 24(5), 241-245. http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/wnr.0b013e32835edbfa
Provine, R. (2004). Laughing, tickling, and the evolution of speech and self. Current Directions In Psychological Science, 13(6), 215-218. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.0963-7214.2004.00311.x
Selden, S. (2004). Tickle. Journal Of The American Academy Of Dermatology, 50(1), 93-97.
What is tickle?
Tickle is a
.
sensation
(Selden, 2004)
- Has no intrinsic stimulation.
- Can evoke laughter as well as defensive actions.
social behaviour
Tickle is a
.
(Provine, 2004)
- When one applies a light or deeper pressure on another's body to produce the tickle sensation.
- The laughter response reinforces social play behaviour and bonding.