Why Do We Cry?

Why do we cry? Why are there differences between the ways men and women cry? What is the evolutionary benefit of crying? We explore the topic with two experts who have spent their careers studying this distinctly human phenomenon. They share what they know--and what remains a mystery.
Ad Vingerhoets is a clinical psychologist who focuses on stress and emotion. He has spent more than 20 years studying when and why we cry, and how the study of crying may help us obtain better insight into human nature.
Randolph (Randy) Cornelius received a BA from the University of Florida (1975) and MS (1979) and PhD (1981) degrees from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. In addition to the Department of Psychology, he teaches in the American Culture and Environmental Studies Programs.
Together, Dr. Cornelius and Dr. Vingerhoets edited "Adult Crying: A Biopsychosocial Approach"