Speaking of Psychology

Why do we cry? With Lauren Bylsma, PhD

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Apr 23, 2025
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INSIGHT

Emotional Tears Explained

  • Emotional tears respond to intense emotions, both negative and positive, involving strong physiological arousal.
  • These tears differ from basal tears that lubricate the eye and reflexive tears caused by irritants like onions.
INSIGHT

Why Women Cry More

  • Women cry three to five times more often than men across cultures.
  • This likely arises from a combination of biological factors and social-cultural conditioning.
INSIGHT

Tears of Joy vs. Sadness

  • Tears of joy are rarer and harder to induce in a lab compared to cries of distress.
  • Both types involve intense emotional experiences and physiological arousal, but biological differences remain unclear.
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