Meaning and importance of weeping

Most animals can cry but only humans have psychoemotional shedding of tears, also known as “weeping”. The aim of this review is to analyze and discuss the available data on the function and significance of weeping. It emerged that weeping is a behavior distinct from crying. Crying is the immediate reaction to pain or anger, it is not always associated with shedding tears, and indicates a peculiar and shocking change in behavior. Weeping is a more complex phenomenon: it is a behavior that induces empathy perhaps with the mediation of the mirror neurons network, and influences the mood through the release of hormones elicited by the massage effect made by the tears on the cheeks, or through the relief of the sobbing rhythm. It also emerged from the present review that weeping is not a “mild” or “weak” response to stress, but that it is a strong behavior with positive effects on health and social interaction.