“Blushing is the most peculiar and the most human of all expressions,” Charles Darwin once wrote. Although some bird species turn pink as a form of communication, and uakari monkeys have red faces when healthy, humans appear to be the only animal that blushes as a sign of embarrassment.
“It’s a signal of honesty,” Professor Sophie Scott, director of the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience at University College London, told the Guardian. She explained that nobody can fake blushing, and not many human behaviors fall into that category, since you can’t blush on command.
Facial blushing is triggered by the sympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for fight-or-flight responses when we face threats. The brain signals the adrenal glands to release adrenaline, a stress hormone, which widens the blood vessels in the face and increases blood flow, changing the color of the skin.
Scott pointed out that it’s more visible on lighter skin, but in reality everyone blushes.
The reaction can lead to a vicious cycle that deepens embarrassment or shame, the researcher added, explaining that you know you’re blushing, others know you’re blushing, and you know that they know you’re blushing, which of course can make you blush even more.
Evolutionary Basis
So what purpose does blushing serve? Researchers believe the reaction is tied to the fact that humans are highly social animals with what neuroscientists call “theory of mind,” the ability to guess what others are thinking and feeling.
In prehistoric human societies, a mistake or a blunder could lead to conflict with the group leader or even expulsion from the community. In that context, blushing works as a signal of sincere regret, one that can defuse a tense social situation.
Blushing “appears to be linked to increased trust,” Scott said. When someone blushes easily, it’s easier to tell, for example, whether they’re lying to you or not. Even if you don’t consciously notice it, you have the impression that you can. She added that humans are apex predators precisely because they can cooperate and read each other’s intentions clearly.
That’s why blushing still serves a purpose today. If we make a mistake at work, for instance, this signal of regret can spare us the boss’s anger.
For those who feel bad about blushing easily, there’s no quick fix. Cognitive behavioral therapy and attention training can offer some improvement.
Often, though, that isn’t even necessary. Professor Peter Drummond of Murdoch University in Australia, author of a study that looked at the gap between actual and perceived blushing, said that his research found that when people felt embarrassed, those who weren’t afraid of blushing blushed just as often as those who feared it, they simply didn’t notice it as intensely.
Drummond noted that once people were told they blushed often, they began worrying more about it, meaning the fear of blushing could itself trigger blushing in certain situations. Still, he said it’s reassuring that most people don’t even notice when others blush during social interactions, since their attention is focused on talking or thinking about what to say. He also pointed to possible mental health benefits, noting that blushing may actually help release unpleasant emotions like anger, embarrassment and shame.
In other words, blushing shows others that you’re being honest while also calming you down. So there’s no need to be embarrassed. Blush freely.
