Why do people blush? It's actually an evolutionary advantage

Charles Darwin, a British naturalist and the originator of the theory of evolution, once wrote in his book The Emotions of Man and Animals that blushing is the most special and human of all expressions. Why do only humans blush?

The physiological reasons behind blushing are not complicated.

When you encounter something embarrassing, such as accidentally knocking over someone's coffee cup or farting in the elevator, the nerve cells in the adrenal glands will secrete adrenaline. Normally, this substance is secreted when you are facing danger or stress, which can increase your heart rate and blood pressure, promote blood flow, and deliver more oxygen to your muscles, preparing them to fight or escape at any time.

The human face is rich in capillaries. Adrenaline will cause the blood vessels in the face to dilate, allowing more blood to flow through the face, which will make your cheeks hot and your face look red. This is what we usually call "blushing". When others see you like this, they will know that you have just experienced something embarrassing.

But why does blushing only occur in humans during the long evolutionary process? Some researchers believe that this may be related to social interaction.

The picture comes from Tuchong.com

Blushing is not innate. Babies in swaddling clothes do not blush. However, as the human brain develops and autonomous awareness increases, they will blush when encountering embarrassing things.

In 2009, a study by Dutch psychologists found that blushing is a signal that people truly regret after doing something wrong, which is equivalent to a silent apology. Others present will also think that you have realized your mistake when they see you blushing.

Of course, you don't have to feel distressed about blushing. In fact, this behavior may help you socialize. Dutch psychologist Dick once did a study in which he showed volunteers a series of photos of people with blushing faces and normal complexions, and also told them about the embarrassing things that these people encountered at the time. The results found that people who blushed after doing something wrong were more likely to be forgiven.

However, to this day, science still cannot fully explain the reason for blushing. For us, it is important to know that blushing is a normal body signal and there is no need to try to cover it up; on the contrary, this performance may bring you some unexpected benefits.

This article is a work supported by Science Popularization China Starry Sky Project

Author: The Nutcracker

Review: Tao Ning

Produced by: China Association for Science and Technology Department of Science Popularization

Producer: China Science and Technology Press Co., Ltd., Beijing Zhongke Xinghe Culture Media Co., Ltd.