Why Can't You Tickle Yourself?

I do not agree with this explanation. This is mystery yet.

We get tickled even if we know well where other person is going to tickle.

Also our brain is well developed to learn immediately about all parameters of tickling... location, force of tickling, speed of tickling with first happening of tickling by other person. Still we get tickled.

Great mystey

Hi, gsuhas!

Just noticed this forum, so I'm a late-comer to it. Here are my thoughts on the subject.

The Laugh:

The laugh is a panting response whose most common use is as a form of creating a rapport between individuals by showing either

• a like-mindedness (humour, infectious humour) or
• an amusement that seeks confirmation (chuckle) or
• friendliness (verbally illustrating that no harm is intended), or
• a desire to seek agreement ('questioning' laughter).

It is also exhibited by dogs and great apes of all types.

The power of this form of rapport is evident in that one can begin by doing the ['laugh'] panting noise with others, and before long it will prolong itself involuntarily.

The Tickle:

The 'tickle' activates nerves that can be irritated to produce a similar panting response, and elicits the same results from the conditioned rapport reactions to it. The same nerves can be activated to produce irritation by oneself, but as the action produces only irritation, it is likely (but not necessarily ...it is quite possible to at least initiate the reaction if one is determined to do so) to stop before the panting response occurs.

As a social activity, it is utilized by one person on another in order to create an opportunity for rapport.

Where there is no such opportunity (torture), it is used strictly as a double irritant...it causes the panting response (laughter) and leaves a desert with no one with which to create the expected conditioned rapport (frustration that can often end up in the crying response to over-stimulation).

Mark

Hysterical laughter is not considered a defence reaction in my book, especcially if you have a cobra, scorpion or black widow in your sleeping bag.

I once heard tickling was a minor form of pain induction.

After all, isn't pain close to pleasure.