Tickling is just one of those things we’ve grown up with. Everyone knows what tickling is… but do we really know what tickling is? Even the famous Charles Darwin has spent his hours studying the overlooked art of tickling. Why do we tickle? Why do we laugh even though it’s unbearable? And why on earth was Tickle-Me-Elmo one of the best selling toys of the 90s?
To learn the tickling basics, it’s crucial to know the two distinct types of tickling. The first is knismesis, which gives a light irritating sensation, and you’re able to do it yourself. An example would be brushing a feather on your arm. The second type, the fun type, is gargalesis, which is a more aggressive tickle that you cannot do to yourself. This would be another person attacking with tickles.
The big question is why do we laugh during those gargalesis tickles? When being tickled our fight or flight response (hypothalamus) is triggered. It is assumed that laughing is a way our bodies show submission in attempts to avoid any more tickle attacks. A second thought is that laughing and tickling are associated in childhood. If you’re already laughing and then get tickled, those two are related in our minds. However, this would only be in addition to the defense mechanism. The purpose of being ticklish is self defense. Where we are most ticklish is where we are most susceptible to attack, which in most cases is places lacking in bone protection, such as the stomach and armpits. If a mosquito is feasting on your hand, you may feel a tickle to signal that defense is needed. This would be an example of knismesis. Pain nerve receptors are triggered during gargalesis tickles, which would explain why it can be so unbearable, yet often harmless.
So why do we tickle? Scientifically, the somatosensory cortex picks up signals which are analyzed by the anterior cingulate cortex, and is then perceived as pleasurable. Combined with the helplessness and laughter we can invoke on our victims, it makes sense why we tickle. These factors also contribute to the fact that tickling can grow relationships, along with the experiences babies have with their parents – a mother will tickle her baby, the baby will laugh, and the mother will continue to tickle. This is one of the earliest forms of communication we have with our parents – something that Charles Darwin wrote about from his studies. And while Darwin didn’t last long enough to decode the mystery of Tickle-Me-Elmo, we can look past the nightmarish toy and learn from various scientists what tickling really is.
Sources
McDermott, Annette. “Why Are People Ticklish?” Healthline, Healthline Media, 22 Dec. 2016, http://www.healthline.com/health/why-are-people-ticklish#asmr.
Thielking, Megan. “Why Are We Ticklish? Here’s What We Know about Our Silliest Defense Mechanism.” Vox, Vox, 6 Mar. 2015, http://www.vox.com/2015/3/6/8158211/why-are-we-ticklish.
