The social language of tears

The social language of tears

Charles Darwin thought that the human tendency to weep had no obvious purpose. He was almost certainly wrong. More recently scientists have pointed to its (17) ________ purpose, with psychiatrist John Bowlby highlighting the social (18) ________ of tears in developing the (19) ________ between partners and friends. Many believe that tears, especially during early childhood, are mainly an expression of (20) ________. However, the persistence of tears into adulthood is harder to explain. It seems that the sound of crying becomes considerably less important than the visible signal tears convey. It may have been (21) ________ to large social communities as a means of promoting trust and social connectedness. Adult tears can have other causes too. We may cry to express sympathy for those suffering terrible (22) ________. Furthermore, tears can be shed (23) ________, rather to our embarrassment, when we hear moving music or inspiring speeches. We may cry when watching a triumphant film, but interestingly, this is more likely to occur in company than when we are alone. The social function of tears would seem to be (24) ________, but research continues.