# Why Do We Put A Hand Over Our Mouth When We Hear Shocking News? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 28, 2016, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-put-a-hand-over-our-mouth-when-we-hear-shocking-news/744458 "2016-01-28T02:48:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Stephe96](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Stephe96](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stephe96)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2016, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-put-a-hand-over-our-mouth-when-we-hear-shocking-news/744458/1 "2016-01-28T02:48:49Z")
To suppress a possible scream? Thought about this on the drive home tonight and figured I’d throw it out there. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2016, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-put-a-hand-over-our-mouth-when-we-hear-shocking-news/744458/2 "2016-01-28T02:52:12Z")
Maybe it’s related to an innate impulse to cover a scream, but I get the impression it’s learned behavior from the people I’ve seen do it. It’s certainly something more common in fiction than in real life in my experience. Also, it may not be a scream that they’re covering up, it may be words they don’t want to say out loud. ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2016, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-put-a-hand-over-our-mouth-when-we-hear-shocking-news/744458/3 "2016-01-28T03:34:30Z")
Because it’s unseemly to stand there with your mouth open. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2016, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-put-a-hand-over-our-mouth-when-we-hear-shocking-news/744458/4 "2016-01-28T03:43:41Z")
I certainly don’t. Apart from movies, I don’t know who does. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2016, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-put-a-hand-over-our-mouth-when-we-hear-shocking-news/744458/5 "2016-01-28T03:48:15Z")
I don’t. I got a major shock last week and just stared at the news. I think the gesture is a Hollywood thing. ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2016, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-put-a-hand-over-our-mouth-when-we-hear-shocking-news/744458/6 "2016-01-28T04:16:29Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Maybe it’s related to an innate impulse to cover a scream, but I get the impression it’s learned behavior from the people I’ve seen do it. It’s certainly something more common in fiction than in real life in my experience. > > Also, it may not be a scream that they’re covering up, it may be words they don’t want to say out loud. This is just a WAG but generally when people do that it isn’t to cover a scream but to cover a dramatic, inhaling gasp. So maybe its some kind of evolutionary thing to, I don’t know, prevent bugs from getting sucked in or something. And it isn’t just a Hollywood thing, I see people (mostly women) in documentaries do it all the time. ---
**Author:** ![gkster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gkster/32/14107_2.png) [@gkster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gkster)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2016, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-put-a-hand-over-our-mouth-when-we-hear-shocking-news/744458/7 "2016-01-28T04:19:32Z")
I’ve done it myself in a moment of sudden shock and I’ve seen others do it. Sometimes movie cliches become cliches for a reason–the fact that they’re not uncommon in real life. I wonder, though, whether females do it more than males (I’m female) Another cliched action–wringing one’s hands–I had always thought “Who does that?” But then one time, when I heard some very distressing news and was agonizing over it, I found that I had unconsciously started wringing my hands. Here’s a thread about the hand over mouth topic > **[Why do we cover our mouths when shocked?](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=516054)** > > This picture got me thinking. It shows the reaction of some of the Dutch Royal Family when the car crashed into their parade (story here)… you can see they’ve covered their mouths in a common reaction to shock. Why do we do this? It’s seems almost... ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2016, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-put-a-hand-over-our-mouth-when-we-hear-shocking-news/744458/8 "2016-01-28T04:41:21Z")
It’s to keep your soul and skeleton bones from jumping out. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2016, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-put-a-hand-over-our-mouth-when-we-hear-shocking-news/744458/9 "2016-01-28T04:45:44Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > I certainly don’t. Apart from movies, I don’t know who does. Really? To me, it seems to be a common reaction. I’m not sure why I do it. I assume it’s mostly conditioning to do so, but that conditioning also is for covering your mouth, as in a yawn, when your mouth drops open, whether it be a yawn, cough, or whatnot. ---
**Author:** ![Dajn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c2a13f/32.png) [@Dajn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dajn)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2016, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-put-a-hand-over-our-mouth-when-we-hear-shocking-news/744458/10 "2016-01-28T04:59:11Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Really? To me, it seems to be a common reaction. I’m not sure why I do it. I assume it’s mostly conditioning to do so, but that conditioning also is for covering your mouth, as in a yawn, when your mouth drops open, whether it be a yawn, cough, or whatnot. You can’t be serious. Are you joking? ---
**Author:** ![Stephe96](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Stephe96](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stephe96)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2016, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-put-a-hand-over-our-mouth-when-we-hear-shocking-news/744458/11 "2016-01-28T05:06:15Z")
Didn’t realize this question had already been asked (sorry), but I just thought of another example: the famous Situation Room photo taken during the bin Laden raid. Hillary’s hand is over her mouth in reaction to something she’s seeing. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2016, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-put-a-hand-over-our-mouth-when-we-hear-shocking-news/744458/12 "2016-01-28T05:10:10Z")
> [@Dajn](#): > > You can’t be serious. Are you joking? I’m not sure what you’re incredulous about. Are you not conditioned to cover your mouth when you open your mouth agape? ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2016, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-put-a-hand-over-our-mouth-when-we-hear-shocking-news/744458/13 "2016-01-28T05:29:52Z")
I find that I touch my chin/mouth area when I’m thinking. When I hear something surprising or shocking, I suppose my hand would go to that area because my mind starts moving. Why? Dunno. ---
**Author:** ![Stinky\_Pete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Stinky\_Pete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stinky_Pete)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2016, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-put-a-hand-over-our-mouth-when-we-hear-shocking-news/744458/14 "2016-01-28T05:31:30Z")
Here is an example at 15 seconds into vid: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/_MtlUzz65XQ/hqdefault.jpg "Video car attack in front of Royal Dutch Family during Qeensday 2009 April 30, in The Netherlands") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MtlUzz65XQ) ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2016, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-put-a-hand-over-our-mouth-when-we-hear-shocking-news/744458/15 "2016-01-28T06:11:36Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Really? To me, it seems to be a common reaction. I’m not sure why I do it. I assume it’s mostly conditioning to do so, but that conditioning also is for covering your mouth, as in a yawn, when your mouth drops open, whether it be a yawn, cough, or whatnot. I’m not sure if I actually do it or not, but if I do this would be my assumption. When my mouth gapes open, I cover it up. I also scratch my head when I’m thinking hard. But then I scratch my head when I’m not thinking hard - I must have a nervous tic and an itchy scalp. I have also seen stars after bumping my head. One thing I know I don’t have is a light bulb floating over my head when I have a good idea. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2016, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-put-a-hand-over-our-mouth-when-we-hear-shocking-news/744458/16 "2016-01-28T07:05:42Z")
[quote=“Stinky\_Pete, post:14, topic:744458”] Here is an example at 15 seconds into vid: [/QUOTE] Or, sorry to toot my own horn, look at the woman in the background between the bride and the father [of this photo I took](http://www.fearlessphotographers.com/images/gallery/970770_652779544769770_1201615707_n.jpg). Common reaction. ---
**Author:** ![AmanoJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AmanoJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AmanoJ)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2016, 10:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-put-a-hand-over-our-mouth-when-we-hear-shocking-news/744458/17 "2016-01-28T10:08:04Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Or, sorry to toot my own horn, look at the woman in the background between the bride and the father [of this photo I took](http://www.fearlessphotographers.com/images/gallery/970770_652779544769770_1201615707_n.jpg). Common reaction. Nice photo… But man, something very disturbing about the way the groom looks. His gaze? His stance? Strange. As for the subject, I don’t know the actual reason, but I’ve definitely seen people do it many times throughout my life so far. I always had the understanding that it was just rude to stand there with your mouth open, like White SIFL says. ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2016, 10:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-put-a-hand-over-our-mouth-when-we-hear-shocking-news/744458/18 "2016-01-28T10:32:38Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > I certainly don’t. Apart from movies, I don’t know who does. I do, or at least I know I did it. > [@pulykamell](#): > > I’m not sure why I do it. I assume it’s mostly conditioning to do so, but that conditioning also is for covering your mouth, as in a yawn, when your mouth drops open, whether it be a yawn, cough, or whatnot. I suppose that’s the reason. ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2016, 10:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-put-a-hand-over-our-mouth-when-we-hear-shocking-news/744458/19 "2016-01-28T10:34:01Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Or, sorry to toot my own horn, look at the woman in the background between the bride and the father [of this photo I took](http://www.fearlessphotographers.com/images/gallery/970770_652779544769770_1201615707_n.jpg). Common reaction. Although in this case, she’s probably suppressing a laugh, rather than her shock. Also, isn’t this picture posed? ---
**Author:** ![Anarcho\_Liberalist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/df705f/32.png) [@Anarcho\_Liberalist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anarcho_Liberalist)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2016, 10:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-put-a-hand-over-our-mouth-when-we-hear-shocking-news/744458/20 "2016-01-28T10:37:27Z")
So the real question is: is it learned behaviour - Hollywood or otherwise - or biology. My money’s on learned behaviour: Women do it more often than men, because women are better at relationship stuff, thus better at using body language to show socially desirable behaviour in a specific situation. The fact that the Dutch Queen-to-be covered her mouth in 2009 (which started the same thread back then) reinforces that argument: it’s her job to show the rest of the country how a decent woman should behave. Then again: to be scientifically certain we have to show some stone age tribe something shocking and film the mouths and hands … [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-put-a-hand-over-our-mouth-when-we-hear-shocking-news/744458.md?page=2)