Tickling Submission -

The light, feather-like sensation that causes an itchy feeling but rarely induces laughter. This is an evolutionary response designed to alert the body to pests like spiders or mosquitoes.

The involuntary laughter associated with tickling is not necessarily an expression of joy; rather, evolutionary biologists believe it evolved as a mechanism to signal submission and de-escalate tension, showing a dominant individual that the person being tickled poses no threat. The Psychology of Submission and Control tickling submission