Why are some people ticklish and why are some people not?

Question

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Answer 1

It depends on whether or not you have a Funny Bone!

Answer 2

i'm soo ticklish... =p

Answer 3

I guess it probably has some genetic links...increased sensitivity in particular regions due to a higher number of nerve endings or something.

Some scientists suggest that it could be a defense mechanism for when we are being attacked by things such as spiders. Sensitive areas, then have a way of alerting when they are being attacked.

However, a stronger factor is how often you were tickled as a child. Tickling is a form of social interaction to a kid as smiling is very important socially. This explains why you are always told to smile when meeting someone for the first time.

As children are tickled often they learn to expect the rush of hormones that happen when they are tickled. A tickle is similar to a joke, in both cases it is the unexpectedness that causes the release of neurochemicals. It comes to the point where you only have to pretend like you are about to tickle them and they'll laugh.

This learned behavior becomes ingrained making them more ticklish than others. Trust me, I'm very ticklish!