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June 30, 2011

Secret behind imitation

Don’t we imitate or copy each others at all? Let’s ask this question to ourselves. A lot of times, we hear typical sentence that an individual makes e. g. “If I couldn’t match with pace and manners of world or people around me, I would be left behind or rejected.” Such kind of sentence may repeatedly boom in our heads just because the fear of getting lagged behind or left all alone has been hard coded in our unconscious minds. Why exactly imitation came into existence in the first place?

Imitation makes every person look alike.

Amazingly, human race is the most imitating land dwelling species. For achieving seemingly impossible to other creatures, our ancestors had to work together and imitate each other as much as possible. One initiated something on its own, reaped some benefits from the same and the others followed, mimicked or imitated the individual, almost mechanically.

Imitating is to perform, maneuver, behave, express, act and gesticulate like other individual. That’s it! We have defined it so simply but it’s not over yet. The next question comes into out mind is that why exactly imitation has been hardcoded into our genes. It's really harder to believe but imitation has to do with survival.

Our tribal ancestors talked in same language or dialect, adapt same mannerism, followed same methods, built same types of houses, painted or decorated bodies, used same weapons or tools and created sounds alike. All these things gave them strength to stand against their predators and rival tribes also. It happens even today!

In today's modern technological world, living is quite easy as compared to what it was thousands and millions years ago. Our ancestors used to leave in jungles while facing dramatic and dangerous conditions. Their entire life was surrounded by fiercest predators lurking behind trees, bushes or tall grass.

Like the predators, there were rival tribes competing, fighting and even killing over resources and geographical territories. In the result of the same, living alone was the greatest risk to life of an individual. Only solution was to live in small clans, closer to other clans and form a tribe.

We often watch a terrifying scene on television channels showing a predator hunting down a prey to eat. The apex predator like lion chases a stag, grabs and kills it to death. Despite of power, speed and tactics; almost all predators can concentrate on just single prey at a time and not the whole herd.


Predators choose a prey that isolated from its herd and most importantly - physically weaker. On the other hand, coming together, appearing and acting like each other multiply chances of survival. Hence preys in herds adapt dramatic strategy that defend them against predators.

They stand together, stay very close to each other, move at same speed, move in same direction, make loud noise together, synchronize their body movements and make same kind of gestures or expressions. Ultimately, a whole group appears like a single larger and powerful creature.

The confused, baffled, overpowered and visually overwhelmed predator can only think about finding another solitary, small and weak prey elsewhere rather than wasting time and energy to hunt nothing and most importantly - avoid getting killed in the process.


Perhaps, the mimic octopus is the master of disguise, deception and camouflage which can rapidly match body colors, patterns, textures and behaviors of other creatures to save itself in the open ocean filled with the variety of predators.

Related Articles
1) Why we copy each other's body language? 2) Dominance 3) Facial Feedback: World smiles with you!

June 23, 2011

Smell of Love

Fragrance of fresh flowers or ripening fruits, aroma of delicious food or hot coffee, scent of soil after first shower or burning incense sticks…all alluring and mesmerizing. Their unique smell draws our attention towards them in no time, even if we can’t see, touch or taste those things immediately. We can instantly judge quality, freshness and even taste by just smelling them.

It's quite unclear to understand for an average individual but we all follow our noses very well almost all the way throughout our lives, right from birth till death. Smell is so special for our sensory experience that it unconsciously regulates and detects our mood. More surprisingly, it rules over our love lives too. Wondering why?

Each one of us has unique smell even though we can’t whiff it easily. As like finger print, you may also call it as smell print. More specifically, it is called as pheromone. Pheromones work by two ways in our intimate life i. e. first for connecting with persons that are close to us and other for finding marital and romantic partners and reproduction.

Body smell has stronger links with our genetic profiles and heredity. In very close blood relationship, body smell of one person is almost identical with the other. This amazing natural gift creates an enduring bond among family members which starts with birth itself.

Newborn baby feels easy and comfortable in presence of her mother around. You experience warmth and closeness when you give hug to your parents. Your affection soars when you cuddle your child in arms. It’s very common experience for most of us.

Someone passes by and you suddenly feel a strange pull towards the person without any clear and apparent clues. A random person belonging to the opposite gender you meet and interact with casually, one day knocks right on your heart and you wonder what happened all sudden.

On the other hand, two persons belonging to opposite genders can’t think about shifting their informal relation into a romantic stir even when they are seemingly attracted towards each other and observing strong solicitation, smiles and signaling. Beyond physical look, does body smell control our love life?

Body smell attracts opposite genders towards each other but conditionally. Courtship and company is vital in everybody’s life so equally crucial is the match between both partners best possible. Breeding between members of close blood relation leads to deformations and disorders in child. Male and female of dissimilar genes can give birth to more healthy children.

That’s why body smell of a person belonging to a dissimilar genetic profile appeals the most at the deeper level. Most people would confess that he/she didn’t smell right or not at all to them. The marital or romantic partners with dissimilar MHC (Major Histocompatibility Complex) profiles are most likely to stay together longer.

Unfortunately, most of us mistake natural body smell as an odor and try to suppress it every way possible. Body smell represents overall health, physiological equilibrium, reproductive potential and vitality. It might alter with passing age, hormonal change, fat gain or loss, medication, diseases, diet and other habits.

Today, we are spoiling this natural gift by moving into an ultra-hygienic state. Soaps with strong (hazardous) chemicals, shampoos, bleaches, deodorants, artificial perfumes, body sprays, synthetic fabrics and hot showers diminish natural smell of body thus misguiding our minds on way of finding and retaining true love.

Related Articles:
1) Courtship and Dance 2) Primary Attraction 3) Man’s Courtship Body Language 4) Woman’s Courtship Body Language (Part 1) 5) Woman’s Courtship Body Language (Part 2) 6) Secondary Attraction

June 13, 2011

Why we hug?

Hugging is an integral part of most cultures and societies world wide. Animals too do hug each other. Hugging goes beyond formality to boost intimacy and sympathy. It’s performed to express warmth, protectiveness, brotherhood, support and affection towards each other. In all kinds of close relationships, we hug each other.

Why hugging someone is so magical, heartfelt and mesmerizing? It is strongly related with our physiology and psychological defense system against adversities. A hug is offered or received when a person truly wants to be cherished or relieved at deeper level by someone else.

Do you remember the last time you crossed arms over your chest while feeling insecure? Touched, covered and scratched your neck while feeling threatened? Stood by pushing your back against wall while feeling despaired? All these body parts are the most vulnerable so any harm or injuries to them would lead to serious impairment or death.

While hugging, we firmly touch chest and neck of other person with same body parts of our own. Also, we wrap our arms over unprotected back of each other. By doing this, we offer each other the same security and soothing which is provided by our parents or elders during childhood.

Hugging is the most defenseless and welcoming approach of both persons towards each other, unconsciously saying, “We are mutually and voluntarily exposing and touching most vulnerable and sensitive part of each others body. We don’t hold any defense. We protect each other (by covering back by arms) and we are very intimate, trustworthy and affectionate.”

Hugging each other might remain an outlandish or old-school ritual for touch reluctant people of modern generation but they won't understand the importance of same until they receive warm hug and feel its power personally.

Related Articles:
1) Making true friends 2) What is hand shake? 3) Why we smile? 4) Why we wave hand at others? 5) Importance of Touch