Have you ever noticed that your eyes close automatically when you receive a kiss? English researchers have probably discovered the reason for this. Psychologists at the University of London recently published a new study that investigated how complex visual tasks interact with a person’s sense of touch. The results: The more intense a visual task is, the lower a person’s ability to perceive the sense of touch.

The researchers tested this by presenting the participants with a visual task on a monitor. During the test, a brief vibration was applied to the participants’ hands, which were covered with a cloth. The researchers found that the more difficult the visual task was, the less the participants perceived the vibration. Conversely, the less challenging the visual task, the more likely they were to perceive the vibration.

So what does all this have to do with making out, you ask? It has been theorized that the results of the study could also be applied to kissing. One possible implication is that closing our eyes reduces visual demands, which could increase our sensitivity to the tactile sensation of kissing.

Basically, closing your eyes could make it easier to experience all the feelings associated with a kiss. The research can also be applied to another real-world example: If you’re staring at a complicated departure board at the airport, you might be less likely to notice a pickpocket stealing your wallet. The lab doesn’t have the resources to specifically test the theory of kissing, but she said she’s heard people refer to her theory when she explains it. Many people have told her that they recognize the description of the experience, I just get that, she said.