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Friday April 26, 2024

The dribble test: How toddlers spot close social ties

By AFP
January 22, 2022

Washington: The thought of sharing an ice cream cone with a stranger can trigger feelings of disgust -- however that’s often not the case with someone close to us, such as a romantic partner or child. A new study in the journal Science on Friday shows that children are aware of this dynamic from a very young age, and see saliva exchange -- through activities like kissing, sharing food, or wiping away dribble -- as a cue to tell whether two people have a special bond.