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As part of Lafayette’s Sex Week activities, Carey Wilson ’07 (Hamilton, N.Y.) will present her honors thesis research on kissing and physical contact, “A Kiss is Worth a Thousand Words,” during a brownbag discussion noon Thursday, March 22 in Oechsle Hall, room 224.
Wilson will speak about the physiological processes associated with kissing and focus on how people can communicate with their partners and themselves through the chemical messengers pheromones and hormones. She will expand on the effects of these hormones on the body, how they help in forming and maintaining relationships, and why physical contact feels good.
Wilson, a neuroscience major, hopes her research will allow students to look at kissing and physical contact in a new way.
“From a scientific point of view, I hope that the audience can learn a little bit about what is going on inside of our bodies when we kiss our partners on a regular basis,” she says. “However, I want to make it clear that while there are some biological hypotheses for why we kiss and why kissing feels good, there are also a number of social, cultural, and personal [issues] that must factor into the equation as well. I think this is the most important thing to remember, because many people expect science to be black and white, but this is not the case.
Wilson has been working under the guidance of Wendy Hill, Rappolt Professor and chair of neuroscience, since her junior year. Both are very dedicated to the project, spending hours researching and giving blood for some of the practice procedures.
“I have learned more from this project than I have from any other class at Lafayette,” says Wilson. “Dr. Hill has enabled me to build up my confidence in research, as I have worked very independently through most of the process. While she has provided guidance and suggestions along the way, she has, for the most part, let me build my own project, do my own research, and learn from my mistakes.”
One of Wilson’s favorite aspects of her research is that it is interdisciplinary, combining many scientific fields.
“My thesis includes aspects of chemistry, biology, neuroscience, psychology, anthropology, and sociology, and people from each of these fields at Lafayette have contributed to my project,” she says.
Currently interested in pediatric neurology, Wilson plans to attend medical school after graduation and believes her time at Lafayette has further pushed her toward that goal.
“I became fascinated by neuroscience in high school and my time at Lafayette has only strengthened my desire to continue work in this field,” she says. “My research has certainly taught me how to work hard and get through the research rollercoaster that all researchers love and hate. However, in the end, just one significant result makes all the work worth it.”
Wilson also served an internship with David Albala ’78, professor of urology and director of minimally invasive surgery at Duke University School of Medicine, which convinced her that medicine was the best career path for her.
To prepare for medical school, Wilson will spend a year working as a paramedic in Boston.