Session Type: 180-Minute Symposium
Number: 180-102
Title: The Science of Kissing
Session Start/End Time: Saturday, Feb 14, 2009, 8:30 AM -11:30 AM
Hotel: 
Room: HRC Columbus CD
Admission Policy 
Synopsis: Human lips have the thinnest layer of skin of any part of the body and are among the most densely packed areas with sensory neurons. Kissing sets off sensations in the lips, as well as the tongue and mouth, that are transmitted to the brain and other parts of the body and provoke emotional and physical reactions. But how did kissing evolve? What functions does it serve? And what chemical, neural, and psychological pathways are involved? Through an interdisciplinary examination of the subject, this panel will serve to explore the different ways experts across fields are seeking to understand the behavior. A broader discussion will demonstrate the intersections between science and society.
 

Albert H Teich, AAAS Science and Policy Programs, Washington, DC;Jill Pace, American College of Real Estate Lawyers, Rockville, MD

Symposium Organizer--Albert H. Teich, AAAS Science and Policy Programs, Washington, DC

Symposium Co-Organizer--Jill Pace, American College of Real Estate Lawyers, Rockville, MD

Kissing Chemicals: Hormonal Changes in Response to Kissing--Wendy L. Hill, Lafayette College, Easton, PA

Greek and Roman Kissing: Occasions, Protocols, Methods, and Mistakes--Donald Lateiner, Ohio Wesleyan University, Delaware, OH

Pheromones and Human Mate Choice--Sarah Woodley, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA

Kissing: A Biological Mechanism for Lust, Romance, and Attachment--Helen Fisher, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NY

Discussant--Sheril R. Kirshenbaum, Duke University, Durham, NC

Discussant--Howard Nusbaum, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL