How do you experience love and what is your relationship with kissing? In a cross-generational survey, for 68% of Generation Z respondents, made up of young adults aged 16 to 24, kissing is mostly a gesture of tenderness and affection, with 66% also agreeing that it is a type of bonding. The survey was conducted by the consulting company On The Go, commissioned by the brand Quem Disse, Berenice?.

More than 800 people took part in the survey through a digital platform that preserves the privacy and anonymity of users – Photo: Disclosure/Quem disse, Berenice?/ND

However, according to a survey, young people are more affectionate in relationships: 85% of committed young people say they only want to kiss their partners.

With regard to generations Y (25 to 40 years old) and X (41 to 50 years old) used as comparison groups, affection and connection are also considered important, but this part of the public also attributes kissing, a much greater desire (48% and 53 %) and seduction (31% and 32%). Such perceptions were not identified among the target audience of the study, in which 35% of young people associated kissing with desire, and 19% with seduction.

Clearly, the responses indicate that Generation Z is more affectionate, connected, and that they respect and appreciate their partners.

More open to dialogue

The survey involved participants from all over Brazil, and based on a generational comparison, it was concluded that young people perceive affective behavior in a new way and understand kissing not only as a physical expression.

Despite the propensity for attachment, generation Z was the most involved in casual relationships – 23% of those surveyed. This number may indicate, when comparing data, that this age group of respondents ascribes more emotional involvement and respect to kissing in these exchanges, even in relationships that do not conform to social labels.

The survey also shows that young people are more open to dialogue and seek agreement in order to correct pre-set standards and break taboos.

“If you are not in a relationship, you can kiss other people, and if you are in a relationship and your partner knows and accepts it, you can kiss other people too,” one Gen Z respondent said anonymously.

Other types of kisses

When asked about other types of kisses other than kissing on the lips, Generation Z was the generation that most emphasized the importance of kissing on the cheek and forehead between couples, with up to 10 percentage points difference for other age groups (43% in Generation Z, 33% in Y and 34% in X).

Although Gen Z show greater emotional sensitivity, they are thought to kiss the least daily, but make up for the statistical difference by stating that they kiss their partner whenever they are together (15%), demonstrating a greater concern for the quality of time and the exchange of affection.

“While they exhibit more open-minded behavior in love relationships, this is not the generation of young people who encounter love relationships in an inconsistent, over-the-top, and hyper-sexualized way,” says Carlos Kawasaki, managing partner of On The Go.

Is there an ugly kiss?

The study also produced other unusual results, such as the perception that all generations consider kissing with a lot of saliva or a very open mouth to be ugly, and the conclusion that Generation Z is turning to more tutorials on the Internet in order to prepare for kissing. give a first kiss (44%) because of her own digital profile.

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More than 800 people participated in the survey through a digital platform that preserves the privacy and anonymity of users. All data was collected directly by the consulting company On The Go at the initiative of PROS, public relations agency Quem Disse, Berenice?.