Children in the early stages of development do not associate touch with what they hear, see or even smell. For an ordinary person, this sounds like life in a strange, sensual world - the tactile world is completely separate from other feelings. Therefore, the perception of tickling in children is not the same as in adults.
How does a baby react to tickling after 6 months of life?
Tickling is still being researched at major research centers. Adults often cannot locate contact with crossed legs. If adults are touched on both sides of the legs, and this happens quickly, they have big problems finding the right order.
Researchers at the University of London studied how children cope with the experiment. In the journal Modern Biology, they report on their research.
Psychologists gently tickled the feet of four- and six-month-old children and observed which of the baby's legs moved.
Six-month-old infants were less likely to tickle if their legs were crossed. They showed the same reaction as adults.
Do children under 4 months of age react differently?
In another experiment, scientists also experienced surprise: children who were 4 months younger achieved better results. In 70% of cases, they moved the foot that the researchers tickled - regardless of whether the legs were crossed or not.
Andrew Bremner, co-author of the study, believes that children do not perceive touching their skin as something coming from the outside world. The sense of touch is not yet associated with vision, hearing and smell. Young children do not even look at where they were touched and by whom.
Similar experiments have already been conducted with blind people. People who were blind from birth, like children, showed no difference in the perception of crossed legs. People who lost their eyesight later could not pass the test.
Controversial reaction
At the age of 6 months, infants respond to tickling with a smile. Tickling is no longer just a touch, but an interaction between parents and children. This is considered a form of affection and intimacy. At the same time, many people describe the tickling feeling as unpleasant.
There are various evolutionary explanations for explaining conflicting reactions to tickling. The hypothesis of strengthening relations between parents and children applies. Tickling can also be understood as a playful combat training in which a person learns to protect sensitive parts of the body.
Aristotle was already interested in the tickling phenomenon. He believed that man was the only creature that could be tickled, and was wrong. Many other mammals also react to tickling.
In 1897, psychologist Stanley Hall identified two types of tickling: knysmesis and gargales. Knysmesis is a slight tickling sensation that occurs when a feather or insect touches the skin. Knysmesis is widespread in nature. Gargalesis - a stronger stroking of the skin, causing laughter.
Is tickling a physical joke?
But why do we laugh when we are tickled? Charles Darwin proved a connection with humor. Common features are a happy mood and a moment of surprise.
Tickling is a kind of "physical" joke.
Psychologist Christina Harris reviewed this thesis, systematically studying facial expressions during tickling attacks. She found mixed reactions between pleasure and pain. In contrast to Darwin, she could not find any necessary connection between tickling and joyful laughter.
Tickling was used not only as a game between parents and children or lovers, but also as torture throughout history.
In the Middle Ages, torturers cleaned the victims' feet with salt and tickled them until they confessed to the alleged crime.
Confusion in the brain causes tickling
But why can't we tickle ourselves? The answer to this can be found in the ancient work "Problems" from the school of Aristotle: the nature of tickling is deception and surprise.
Neurologist Sarah-Jane Blakemore confirmed the thesis at the beginning of this millennium - with the help of a ticking apparatus.
In addition, she showed a way to tickle herself. The subjects controlled the robotic arm and touched their skin with it.
Tickling did not occur when the hand immediately reacted.
However, if a delay of at least 1/5 of a second has been programmed, participants can tickle themselves. The difference between the predicted and the actual stimulus made this possible.
The cerebellum is responsible for the inability to tickle oneself. It predicts a stimulus and sends signals to other parts of the brain.
