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We’ve all had this feeling. You’re embarrassed and then there’s this: a hot flush creeping up your neck and onto your cheeks. The more you think about it, the hotter and redder you get. If someone asks “Are you shy?” This only makes you blush more.
So why do we do it? When we are already self-conscious, this involuntary response can feel like an additional punishment. but evolutionary Science Suggests that blushing may actually have social benefits. let’s take a look.
What is blushing?
blushing is ours BodyWhen we feel the reaction appears emotions Such as embarrassmentShyness or self-consciousness.
It is caused by increased blood flow for a short period of time to the skin of the ears, face, neck or chest.
When an emotion triggers blushing, the sympathetic nervous system – which controls the body’s automatic functions – becomes activated and releases adrenaline (epinephrine). makes it smaller muscles The blood vessels get relaxed.
In the body, adrenaline tightens the blood vessels, but on the face the opposite happens – they dilate. This means that more blood flows to the skin and the face feels warmer.
We turn red due to the sudden flow of blood close to the surface of the skin.
This redness is more clearly visible in people with lighter skin. In darker skin, the change may be less visible or may not be visible at all – but is physically similar. Process Still happens.
It doesn’t matter whether other people can see it or not, you will still feel warmth or a tingling sensation in your face.
social role of blushing
People blush when they feel overly self-conscious, which is usually due to unwanted social attention.
So even though a “fight-or-flight” system is involved, blushing is not about preparing for danger. Instead, scientists believe it evolved as a social signal, a way to show others that we recognize a mistake or feel embarrassed.
This can really help build trust, as people often see blushing as a sign of sincerity or honesty – especially when it’s involuntary. Blushing may signal a non-verbal apology for a social mistake that may help maintain social bonds after the transgression.
Different emotions can make us blush – but the mechanism is the same: increasing blood flow to the face and making us feel warmer.
The difference is that, for example, blushing in anger comes from excitement and frustration, while blushing out of embarrassment comes from self-awareness and social emotion.
People will blush for different reasons. For example, one study found that children with social anxiety turned red with embarrassment when given exaggerated praise, compared to moderate praise or none at all.
In a follow-up study, researchers found that children who scored high for narcissism – meaning they had an exaggerated sense of self-importance, wanted praise and lacked empathy – blushed only when given moderate praise. The researchers suggested that this was because the praise given did not match how well the child believed they had performed.
Who is most likely to blush?
Women and young people feel more shy. This may explain why it is often associated with youth, vitality, and fertility.
People with social anxiety are also more likely to feel shy.
But as we age and have more life experience, we become less shy. This may indicate that we are more familiar with social norms – or less bothered if we violate them.
People with facial erythema (persistent facial redness) are often mistaken for blushing. But this condition can have many causes, including rosacea, allergic contact dermatitis, reaction to medication, and lupus erythematosus (a chronic autoimmune disease).
animals can also feel shy
Some primates have pale facial skin that may turn red, such as Japanese macaques and bald macaques.
For mandrills, another type of primate, blushing plays an important role in fertility. The face of women becomes dark during puberty and after giving birth to a child. But their faces turn bright red during the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle, indicating their fertility.
When male mandrills are in the presence of fertile females, their faces become redder as they produce more testosterone.
Human make-up tendencies may intentionally or unintentionally give rise to similar fertility and attraction rituals.
About the authors
Amanda Mayer is Senior Lecturer in Anatomy and Pathology at the College of Medicine and Dentistry and Monica Zimani is Associate Professor in Anatomy at James Cook University. This article is republished from Conversation Under Creative Commons license. read the original article,
For example, TikTok and Instagram are full of people “addicted” to blushing using hashtags like #Blushaholics and #BlushBlindness. Heavy blush is also popularly worn by K-pop bands other than just girl groups.
When to get help for blushing
Because blushing is an involuntary response, once you blush, you can’t stop it.
However, if your blush lasts more than a few days, is accompanied by pain, or is bothering you due to cosmetic concerns, talk to your GP or health professional.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (a type of talk therapy that helps reframe unhelpful thoughts and behaviors) may benefit people who shy due to social anxiety.
In rare cases where the cause is an overactive sympathetic nervous system, surgery may be recommended. There are two types: sympathectomy removes a piece of the sympathetic chain – a long chain of nerve fibers running next to the spinal cord; Whereas sympathicotomy cuts this chain near the second rib, where it joins this spine.
Evidence suggests that these procedures are effective and can improve the quality of life of people with severe symptoms.
But for most people, blushing will not require medical intervention. If you can get past the embarrassment, this involuntary reaction can be a chance to reflect on your body’s signals, and what they reveal about you and how you connect with the world.