14 DAY TRIAL // Pretty much everybody tickles, and the majority of folks love and hate the feeling at the same time. Tickling makes us laugh, which it why we adore it, but a part of us simply wants it to stop as soon as possible.
Specialists who have taken the time to study tickling say that, first off, it's important to note that the proper name for the feeling that we get when somebody keeps poking us is gargalesis.
As shown by several studies, gargalesis causes the brain to be flooded with pain and pleasure chemicals at the same time, which is why we laugh when tickled but cannot wait for the torture to stop.
What's interesting is that tickling in the sense of gargalesis is only experienced by primates, humans and chimps included. Even more bizarre, all primates are ticklish in the same spots.
The body regions in question are the ribs, under the arms, under the chin and close to the important arteries. Hence, it is believed that humans and other primates evolved to tickle to learn and teach survival skills.
The idea is that, by tickling somebody and essentially forcing them to defend certain body parts, we are helping them learn how to protect their vulnerable spots. The reason they laugh at us is to encourage us to keep going.
