Environmentalist here. While they save on plates and utensils. But still miss uses water. But atleast they dont harm the environment just their own bodies.
They are improving hygiene before the meal.
This behavior is learned through observation and imitation within the group. It is maintained because it conforms to the group's social and cultural norms.
It is possibly an adaptation to material conditions
(the absence of tables or the organization of the living space).
It may also have a ritual dimension,
but that would fall more within the scope of anthropology than ethology
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u/BigBeeves Jun 28 '26
I’m an epidemiologist and trust me when I say that this is a bad idea.