About Kissing Research

Some research found that over half the men surveyed (56%) said they would have sex without preliminary kissing. However, less than 15% of the women said they would have sex without kissing first. There is some evidence that an evolutionary advantage was gained by women who used kissing to "test" the male by tasting him for signs of ill health and immune system incompatibility. Other research has verified that women depend a lot more on smell to pick a mate than men do. Kissing is a way to smell a prospective mate really up close!

Other research findings:

• Men like to exchange more saliva than women. Perhaps men use taste to select a mate and women use smell to pick a mate. One evolutionary advantage men may have developed is to unconsciously taste a women to determine if she is fertile, since a woman's chemistry changes then.

• A high number of women said they would not have sex with a bad kisser. Men aren't that particular!

• Most men expect that kissing will lead to sex but women generally consider kissing as relationship building. The sex may have to wait for a longer relationship.

• Women like kissing before, during, and after sex. Men use it to get sex then like to go to sleep!

• Most men think a kiss will end a fight and bring forgiveness. Women think, "Stuff your kiss up yours, you S.O.B! You can't get out of this by kissing me off!"