Indeed, some 650m people—or about 10% of the world—don't partake at all. Until contact with the West, for example, kissing wasn't practiced among Somalis, the Lepcha people of Sikkim or Bolivia's indigenous Sirionó.
Contrary to recent hypotheses, new research suggests that romantic-sexual kissing is not a universal human behavior. A team led by UNLV anthropologist William Jankowiak was the first to quantify the universality of the romantic-sexual kiss via a cross-cultural study.
The researchers found romantic kissing to be the norm in the Middle East, with the practice established in 10 out of 10 cultures studied. In Asia, 73 percent enjoyed romantic kissing; in Europe, 70 percent; and in North America, 55 percent. No smoochers were found in Central America.
Less than half of all societies kiss with their lips, according to a study of 168 cultures from around the world. William Jankowiak, a professor of anthropology at the University of Nevada Las Vegas, found that only 46% use lip-to-lip kissing in a romantic sense, excluding things like parent-child kissing or greetings.
While the true origin of kissing remains a mystery, historians have found in India the earliest references to the practice. Four major texts in the Vedic Sanskrit literature suggest an early form of kissing. Dating from 1500 B.C., they describe the custom of rubbing and pressing noses together.
A kiss might seem like a natural thing to do for most of us, but the scientific jury is still out on whether it is a learned or instinctual behaviour. Approximately 90 per cent of cultures kiss, making a strong case for the act being a basic human instinct.
Most people can't focus on anything as close as a face at kissing distance so closing your eyes saves them from looking at a distracting blur or the strain of trying to focus. Kissing can also make us feel vulnerable or self-conscious and closing your eyes is a way of making yourself more relaxed.
It is common to give air kisses on both cheeks (starting with your left) when greeting those you know well. This is called the 'il bacetto'. However, in Southern Italy, men generally only kiss family members and prefer to give a pat on the back to show affection in a greeting.
In the English-speaking world, friends and family generally greet each other with a wave, handshake, or hug, depending on their degree of intimacy. In France and other countries, however, the kiss is more common—not on the lips, but a symmetrical brush of the cheeks.
In Europe and Latin America, kiss greetings between two women, and between a man and a woman, are widely accepted. A kiss between two men, though more rare, does occur in places like Argentina, Serbia, and Southern Italy.
In Asia, Australia and North America, for example, a simple peck on the cheek may be viewed as a homosexual act. But in the Middle East and parts of Europe, Africa and South America, it's common for men to greet one another with a cheek-kiss.
Don't worry though, french kissing honestly comes pretty naturally, and while it may take you a few go arounds to get the hang of it, you'll be a pro in no time. But, just in case you want a quick walk through, here are some steps that you should take. Then, enjoy some light kissing and sucking for a moment.
In most of the Western world, such as Western Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the United States, and Latin America, it is very common to see people holding hands, hugging and sometimes kissing in public.
Yes, the kiss—that glorious symbol of amorous and erotic love—originated in India. In fact, the first recorded kiss is found in our ancient Sanskrit scriptures, dating around 1500 BC.
First Recorded Kiss (circa 1500 B.C.)
Whatever the case, the earliest known written mentions of it are in Vedic Sanskrit scriptures circa 1500 B.C., according to research by Vaughn Bryant, an anthropology professor at Texas A&M University.
The French have an undeniable reputation when it comes to love and sex. They are passionate, enticing and simply irresistible. French people have a way with words and actions that's all about love. And when it comes to displaying their fairness in bed, they are said to be absolute sex gods!
Open mouth and tongue kissing are especially effective in upping the level of sexual arousal, because they increase the amount of saliva produced and exchanged. The more spit you swap, the more turned on you'll get.
In Italy, it is a common practice to greet someone with a light kiss on both their cheeks. This is true even if you are just newly acquainted or if you have known someone for quite a long time.
However, in some parts of France, especially in the South and South-East, we offer the left cheek first! Once the cheek is presented, how many kisses should you give? In most cases, 2 is the norm. However, in some regions, we give 1, 3 or 4 kisses.
Here's the answer... This weekend, a French friend told me that a German kiss is basically a French kiss but you swirl your tongue around in circles. Have you ever heard of that bad boy before? Have you done it? Would you try it?
Although cheek kissing is not as widely practiced in the United Kingdom or Ireland as in other parts of Europe, it is still common and increasing. Generally, a kiss on one cheek is common, while a kiss on each cheek is also practiced by some depending on relation or reason.
Eigengrau (German for "intrinsic gray"; pronounced [ˈʔaɪ̯gŋ̍ˌgʁaʊ̯]), also called Eigenlicht (Dutch and German for "intrinsic light"), dark light, or brain gray, is the uniform dark gray background color that many people report seeing in the absence of light.
What is a Neck Kiss? The neck kiss is exactly what it sounds like — a kiss on the neck. It's considered a kiss of passion, and shows that you're really into the lucky person who receives it. Neck kisses are usually around the nape of the neck or right where the shoulders meet the neck.
Some people say it's a sort of dominance, with him wanting to reassure himself that you're his, but a more likely explanation is that the little bit of visual stimuli makes him feel closer to you emotionally before he drops back into the tactile whirlwind of a kiss.