Psychology Research Professor and Professor Emeritus Robert Provine has been in the news recently for his research on crying. In an article published in Canada’s Globe and Mail, Provine shared insight about his work.
He discussed how someone else’s crying “is appealing to you to provide caregiving, and at least sympathy,” which can be emotionally tiring, if not exhausting. “Dealing with crying people can be ‘expensive’ in the sense that they have needs that you’ll be expected to meet,” said Provine. He also discussed how the idea of crying making someone feel better is “complicated”: “Some people may report it feeling good, but the evidence about that is unclear,” he said.
In an article in New York Magazine‘s “Science of Us” section, Provine discussed how crying isn’t easy to do on command and is hard to stop, once started. “Emotional tearing is under very weak conscious control — most people can’t do it voluntarily,” Provine said.
To read both articles, click below:
Crying daily isn’t a sign of weakness – it’s an all-human super-power (Globe and Mail)
How to stop yourself from crying (New York Magazine)
Tags: CAHSS, Psychology