1. Is the Romantic/Sexual Kiss a Human Universal?
Shelly Volsche, MA Candidate
University of Nevada, Las Vegas

2. Introduction Support of Universality
Kissing provides evolutionary benefits Wlodarski & Dunbar, 2013
Affiliative gestures in chimpanzees and bonobos De Waal, 1990, 2000
Ethnographic citations include
Eibl-Eibesfeldt (1972)
Ford & Beach (1951)

3. Introduction

4. Introduction Contrasting Evidence No systematic cross-cultural survey
Danesi (2013) found no universality
Eibl-Eibesfeldt, Ford & Beach – small samples
Liberal definitions of kiss applied
No systematic cross-cultural survey

5. Methods Standard Cross-Cultural Sample Murdock & White, 1969
eHRAF World Cultures
Supplemental Survey of Ethnographers
Total Cultures - 168

6. Methods
Define romantic/sexual kiss: “ … lip-to-lip contact that may or may not be prolonged … not a passing glance but intentional touching of the lips that is more focused and thus potentially more prolonged.”

7. Methods Coding of kissing Coding of social complexity present
not present
Coding of social complexity
egalitarian
simple stratified
complex stratified
commercial economy collapsed into complex stratified

8. Results Present – 77 cultures (46%) Not present – 91 cultures (54%)
The relationship between presence or absence of kissing and social complexity was significant (γ = -.604, p < .001)
Present
Not Present
Egalitarian 20
29% 49
71%
Simple Stratified
37% 34
63%
Complex Stratified 37
82% 8
18%
All Cultures 77
46% 91
54%

9. Discussion Kissing frequently taboo, “gross” or “disgusting”
Relationship to social complexity
Diet
Oral hygiene
Social class and “manners”

10. Discussion Hunter-gatherer trends in kissing Explanation
Sub-Saharan Africa, New Guinea, Amazon – 0
Circum-Arctic region – 9 of 11
Explanation
Cultural diffusion?
Latitude?
Seasonality?

11. Conclusion Q: Is the romantic/sexual kiss a human universal?
A: There is strong cross-cultural evidence to suggest it is not.
Missing significance in forager societies
Late in human history
Readily co-opted as expression of romantic love

12. Acknowledgements
The following colleagues graciously provided data for this project: Janet Chernela (Wanano), Alyssa Crittenden (Hadza), Shanshan Du (Lahu), Pamela Feldman-Savelsberg (rural Bamiléké), Russell Greaves (Pumé and 1990s Maya), Thomas Gregor (Mehinaku), Michael Gurven (Tsimane), Barry Hewlett (Aka), Bonnie Hewlett (Aka), Robert Jarvenpa (Chipewyan), Karen Kramer (Pumé and 1990s Maya), Pierre Liénard (Turkana), Charles Lindholm (Pukhtun), David Lipset (Sepik), Frank Marlowe (Hadza), Susan Seymour (Orissa, Northeastern India), Pamela Stern (Inuit), and Cuncun Wu (Imperial China).
We thank our colleagues Thomas Gregor, Donald Brown, Thomas Paladino, Alice Schlegel, Raymond Scupin, Helen Fisher, Kathryn Coe, and Amanda Gesselman for their comments and encouragement. We especially thank Michael Chibnik and anonymous reviewers for their immensely thoughtful and helpful suggestions.
University of Nevada, Las Vegas – Department of Anthropology Graduate & Professional Student Association

13. Thank You
Citation: Jankowiak, W.R., Volsche, S.L., & Garcia, J.R. (In Press, 2015). Is the romantic/sexual kiss a near human universal? American Anthropologist. Contact: Shelly Volsche