Robert Provine, professor of psychology, is featured in a Globe and Mail story entitled “Why do Oscar Winners Cry Tears of Joy?”
Provine pointed out that it is important to distinguish between two kinds of crying – vocal crying, typical of a newborn demanding to be fed, which is an ancient behaviour shared with other animals, and emotional crying, the tears of happiness or sadness, which is a recent evolutionary development exclusive to humans.
“Only humans shed emotional tears,” he said.
The story appeared online on February 22.
