Thaindian News

London, Feb 11 (ANI): Wedding ceremonies are surely a public display of love and commitment, but they also have another role to play - provide baby-sitters for the future, say scientists.

New research suggests that weddings are a way of making family and friends feel emotionally involved with the couple so they will help raise their children, reports the Telegraph.

Scientists say that this may explain why it is more popular to have a big wedding rather than elope, because the bride and groom have an interest in securing future support for their families.

The theories come from Professor Paul Zak, an expert in how hormones affect our ability to trust others.

He took blood samples from bride Linda Geddes and groom Nic Fleming and their guests, before and after the ceremony.

He found that the vows caused levels of oxytocin, the ‘cuddle chemical’ that fosters trust, bonding and generosity, to spike among everyone tested.

Geddes, who works at New Scientist, said: “The hypothesis was that we’d see a rise in oxytocin during the ceremony and this would be strongest in the bride and groom, our family members and close friends. To my delight - OK, relief - our hypothesis proved correct.”

Zak believes that by bringing people together for a ceremony, it makes them emotionally bond - shown by the oxytocin spikes - and become well-placed to mediate during fall outs and share the burden of child-rearing.

The research is published in New Scientist. (ANI)