Unless you force yourself to look around while sharing a kiss, which is weird and unromantic, the eyes always remain shut.
Most of us do it voluntarily or involuntarily, but do you know the science behind it? We asked a clinical psychologist to explain the most romantic gesture with facts.
Psychologist explains why we close our eyes while kissing
We spoke to clinical psychologist and relationships expert Dr. Betsy Chung to understand the thought process that prompts us to close our eyes while kissing.
She told The Focus that the gesture partly has to do with what we see on television and in movies, but there is “a relational function to it as well.”
“Our eyesight is a powerful sense that identifies and processes a lot of stimulus around us, so I think that closing our eyes can help us isolate and heighten other internal sensations,” Dr. Betsy said.
She said if two people are kissing on the dancefloor, there is a tendency to get distracted by the movement around that can catch their attention, thus acting as a distraction from the intimate moment.
The psychologist further explained: “However, by closing your eyes, your attention is more directed toward what you’re doing at the moment, allowing you to feel all the butterflies and warmth that come with intimate affection.”
People think it’s ‘awkward’ not to
I was curious to know what people thought about keeping their eyes open while kissing. When I checked the comments under a Reddit thread discussing the topic, most opined it was “weird” or “awkward.”
“I saw this pair kissing and he had his eyes wide open the whole time and it looked crazy awkward but then I couldn’t think of a reason why!,” wrote one user.
Another added: “I personally think it just feels awkward when kissing with eyes open – so that might be a cultural thing.”
“With your eyes open, your lover’s nose looks bigger than the Chrysler Building,” joked one.
We would like to thank Dr.Betsy Chung, a clinical psychologist, and relationship expert at RAW dating app for her valuable input that helped us create the article.
