Why Grown Women Squeal Like Adolescents

New York Magazine's Maureen O'Connor was asked at party why grown women squeal like adolescent girls. Here's what she came up with.

New York Magazine's Maureen O'Connor was asked at party why grown women squeal like adolescent girls.

She admits that the question, which was asked by a man, was peppered with disgust and likely rhetorical, but she gave it some serious thought anyway. Here are some of reasons she came up with.

One is that it's a way to convey happiness and excitement without using any words that could be misconstrued or, more importantly, indicative of one's true feelings.

For example, using language to feign surprise after friends announce, after a long stretch of living together, that they're engaged runs the risk of dampening the spirit of the moment.

Another excellent use of the squeal, she says, is to set female bonding in motion. The sound isn't meant for communication with males. It's a girl thing and can prove to be a powerful way to assert one's belonging to a group.

Finally, it's important to remember a short, high-pitched scream is a sign of joy, and it's the kind of expression of it that's contagious, much like smiling. Don't underestimate its power to elevate the mood of a room.