CRYING, WEEPING OR TEARFULNESS IN BRITISH AND ISRAELI ADULTS

Participants (aged 20-42 years; N = 448) from Britain and Israel answe red questions on their crying behaviour. They were more likely to cry alone than when with others and least likely to cry with people they d id not know well. Women cried more often and for longer and with more intensity than men. Britons cried more than Israelis. Explanations in terms of differential inhibition were not supported. The sex differenc e was especially marked for situations involving criticism from others , anger, or problems with work, where men were particularly unlikely t o cry, and least for those situations Darwin described as involving te nder feelings. The pattern was related to differences documented elsew here in which men tend to more active and confrontational styles of be haviour. British-Israeli differences were consistent with the effects of military service. Tearfulness for tender feelings increased with ag e in all groups. A principal component analysis distinguished crying t hat is intense, long lasting and difficult to stop from crying that is more diverse in appearance but more controllable. The distinction see ms related to whether crying pre-empts or concurs with other ongoing a ctivities.