What is the evolutionary purpose of blushing? Peter WallsLiverpool
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Readers answer
I’m too shy to say. 321bitor
Dinosaurs didn’t blush and look what happened to them. mrfloydthursby
It most likely has to do with confrontation. It is a visual way to express remorse, embarrassment or to show that we are not confrontational. Most species have developed non-verbal means of expressing themselves; people are no different. Michele Walker
There is an assumption in the question that this is a non-verbal signal, but it may just be a side effect of socially activated stress, which raises your blood pressure. Your body then combats this with vasodilation (the widening of the arteries and large blood vessels), which reduces systemic vascular resistance, improves blood flow and results in a counterbalancing reduction in blood pressure. This may be the underlying physiological process that evolution developed, but over time we have incorporated its visual side effect into our complex web of interpersonal communication, completely outside of evolutionary pressure. HaveYouFedTheFish
I work a lot with blushing as a psychotherapist. My view is that it is part of our childhood – and survival; an informed need to remain connected to, and therefore protected, nurtured and nourished by, our primary caregivers, without which we as babies and children are literally a predator’s lunch. Blushing indicates shame, or a sense of guilt, which communicates to the caregiver that the child has internalized the bad thing happening as his fault and not the caregiver’s. This ensures the continuation of at least basic care – and therefore survival.
Understanding the skin as the most important organ of communication for all of us, especially as children, I find in my psychotherapy practice that so many skin conditions, from constant blushing to eczema and acne, have their roots in early childhood formative experiences, these old stories amenable to trauma-informed treatment with, in my caseeye movement desensitization and reprocessing – often with striking efficiency. Mark Brayne
I have no evidence about blushing whatsoever, but all core emotions cause behavior that preserves the family or extended family group. They are rooted in the limbic (hormonal) system and it predates cognitive thinking. They also served to communicate at an evolutionary stage before speech: “love,” or attachment, served to make us care and look out for each other; shame led to the shamed one withdrawing to the fringes of the group. This served to reinforce the core rules of the group. When someone is caught stealing food from a child, they may experience shame. It was then up to the others in the group to invite the embarrassed one back into the group. All emotional reactions have a function and behavior attached. So, blush? Maybe it’s a small shame, or a sign that boundaries have been crossed. Clibanus
I can blush when I’m alone, especially when I recall something embarrassing, so it’s not just about being in a group. Its frequency decreases as I get older, but definitely still there. Jotey
We assume evolutionary purpose just because evolution hasn’t eliminated it yet? Sounds vague. Might as well ask the evolutionary purpose of a limited literary experience. At least blush makes you look red. CiderDemon
There doesn’t have to be an evolutionary answer to everything. Some things are just consequences of others without any selection pressure; others are merely neutral changes resulting from random drift; and for some are indeed selected by natural selection or other selective pressure. John Robinson
I am reminded of Steve’s line to Susan in the romantic sitcom Coupling. After losing his zeal, Steve (played by Jack Davenport) complains to Susan (Sarah Alexander) that she made him blush: “Nobody has that much blood!” ClareM8
