Original photo by Upesh Manoush/ Unsplash
Many of us consider blushing embarrassing, but Charles Darwin called it “the most peculiar and the most human of all expressions.” There’s a good reason for that: We’re quite literally the only species known to do it, aside from birds (although researchers are still teasing out whether our feathered friends blush for the same reasons we do). Whether the result of committing a social faux pas or just being paid a compliment, the involuntary reaction occurs in humans when the blood vessels in our face dilate and more blood flows to our cheeks. Part of our fight-or-flight response, it also entails an adrenaline rush and an increased heart rate. The reaction may be mostly unique to humans in part because our facial skin is relatively well exposed, and because embarrassment requires knowing (or imagining) what others are thinking about you — pretty complex cognitive stuff, actually.
Oops, incorrect!
It's a factIt isn’t just your cheeks that turn red when you blush. The same thing happens to your stomach lining, a response caused by the sympathetic nervous system increasing blood flow throughout the body.
For all that, we still don’t know exactly why we blush. Some theorize that it helps keep us honest (it can’t be faked, after all), while one study suggests that blushing after a social transgression “serves to signal the actor’s genuine regret or remorse over a wrongdoing” — in other words, it acts as physical evidence that we know we’ve made a mistake. This, in turn, makes others more likely to not only forgive our slight but also view us in a more favorable light. This is doubly true when it results from being given a compliment — who doesn’t find that reaction endearing? Maybe it’s not so embarrassing after all.
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In the Middle Ages, wealthy women used a combination of ______ and water as blush.
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In the Middle Ages, wealthy women used a combination of strawberries and water as blush.
Blushing has a phobia associated with it.
It’s called erythrophobia, and it’s most common in those who experience such severe blushing that they avoid situations that might cause it — think public speaking or meeting new people. If a person is embarrassed by the fact that they’re blushing, this can often cause them to blush more; for some, reddening of the skin extends to the upper chest, neck, and ears. This often goes hand in hand with social anxiety, with each condition intensifying the other. The good news is that there are ways to mitigate or even move past erythrophobia, including exposure therapy and general mindfulness.
Interesting Facts writers have been seen in Popular Mechanics, Mental Floss, A+E Networks, and more. They’re fascinated by history, science, food, culture, and the world around them.
