Kissing laterality and handedness

Abstract

Kissing behaviour was observed between kissing couples: about 80% turned their heads to the right to kiss. To remove the influence of one kissing partner upon the other, kissing behaviour was also observed between participants and a symmetrical doll's face: about 77% turned their heads to the right to kiss. There was no significant difference in handedness between right- and left-kissers: both groups were predominantly right-kissers. It is thought that motor bias rather than emotive bias influences kissing behaviour.

We wish to thank the 240 students at Stranmillis University College, Belfast, who kissed their way into this project. We are grateful to Mike Nicholls who suggested improvements to an earlier draft of this paper.