Uruguay striker Luis Suarez his hit the headlines in recent days after he appeared to bite an Italian defender during a World Cup clash.

This is the third time the footballer has been accused of such behaviour – but what causes someone to act in this way?

This Morning invited Dr Jane McCartney and Dr David Wilson to discuss the psychology of biting and what compels someone to act out in this way.

Dr Wilson said: “Sports are often very aggressive confrontations between people, and in football we’re used to people head-butting, punching, kicking, spitting is common.

“But here, because it’s biting, we become more fascinated.

“I think it’s because biting is seen a s a very private behaviour. If we’re think about biting, sexually for example, and suddenly it’s become a very public matter, and therefore I think it’s that private/public divide that’s captured people’s attention.”

Dr McCartney added: “Also, it’s this weapon we all have that luckily most of us choose not to use on a regular basis, but the fact we have this weapon, ready to assault.

“I think it’s quite a primal thing. In an instant you can absolutely chomp onto that other person. If you’re going to thump or kick someone there has to be a bit of thought about it.”

David also pointed out that this action is very much a display of dominance in many cases.

It is a paraphilia. Again, we’ll talk very specially about the incident. But generally biting is a paraphilia and it’s got a specific name, Odaxelagnia.

“And if we look at why people like to be bitten or like to bite, it’s often about them being able to express their dominance. They are physically marking someone to say, ‘You are mine,’.

“There is a sense of which, in a competition, that what Suarez is doing is literally like saying to an opponent, ‘I’m better than you, I control you, I’m more aggressive than you are’.
“It’s primal in that sense.”

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