In other words, we cry at moments when our emotions brim over. The precise psychological mechanics of emotional tears are still debated by academics, but there is a general agreement that they perform a cathartic action relieving feelings of stress, supporting the oft-given advice from well meaning aunties that we should, "have a good cry, it'll make you feel better." We might feel better after a bawl, but the flow of salty tears can be interpreted by onlookers in a variety of ways, says Dr Gail Kinman, a reader in occupational health psychology at the University of Bedfordshire and an expert on the subject. Tears can be infectious, she explains. "In the UK, this was seen at the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales, in 1997. There, we saw a phenomenon known as emotional contagion. You pick up other people's emotions in the same way you would pick up a cold. Since then, it has become more acceptable for people to weep in public or show more extremes of emotion." It is acceptable in the West for women to cry freely in times of trouble or stress (although a study earlier this year by the British Psychological Society explored how female tears in the workplace can be a source of embarrassment). But the rule that "boys don't cry" still applies, even in our more emotionally liberated times. "In certain circumstances it can be seen as a sign of weakness, especially among men," agrees Kinman. "You can get a tough bloke covered in tattoos crying because his football team has just won, which is quite acceptable in private. But it can be a whole different story in front of his mates." From an early age most British males are taught that it is unacceptable to cry in public. Some think this could even be an attitude handed down from the battlefield. "Crying is not a marshal quality," says Phillip Hodson, a fellow of the British Association for Counsellors and Psychologists and an expert on male emotions. "Showing excessive emotion on the field of battle is the last thing you want. When you are crying, your guard is down, your vision is blurred. The traditional male stereotype is of the infallible warrior who never rests. And this perception is not limited to the West - there is quite a lot of shame in appearing to be weak and womanly in Eastern cultures." Boys need to toughen up to "be" their gender, is the message. But why do tears signal weakness? "In truth, crying isn't weakness, it's a relaxation system in the human organism," says Hodson, "In order to function, we have to function with our emotions, not against them. You cry when tension needs to be dissipated. If we don't use this system we're not being very intelligent." To go by the outpouring of tears at the Olympics , this particular taboo might be eroding at last.

SŁOWNICZEK

brim over - przepełnić

feel better after a bawl - poczuć się lepiej po awanturze

you pick up other people's emotions in the same way you would pick up a cold - zarażamy się uczuciami innych, tak samo jak katarem

in front of his mates - w obecności kumpli

handed down from the battlefield - odziedziczona po polach bitewnych

your vision is blurred - widzimy jak przez mgłę

to go by the outpouring of tears at the Olympics - sądząc po łzach, które płynęły w czasie Olimpiady