Psychology of Laughter

What did one math book tell the other math book? Man, I have a lot of problems.

Laughter was always an interesting phenomenon. The nature of laughter is still a mystery for scientist. Why do we laugh? Is laughter necessary to survive? How do we learn to laugh or it is inborn feature?

We usually define laughter as a pleasant emotion by which people express their joy and happiness. It is usually involuntary movements of face muscles especially around lips and under eyes along with sound caused by exhaling air.

First theorists which tried to explain laughter was great philosophers of ancient Greek. They believed that laughter is an archetype common to all people and separating humans from animals. They suggested a superiority theory that states people are laughing from other people misfortune because then they feel superior to others.

More recent incongruity theory explains that people laugh at moment of realization of incongruity between some concepts in a specific situation. This theory is supported by Schopenhauer who explained that “The cause of laughter in every case is simply the sudden perception of incongruity between a concept and the real objects which have been thought through it in some relation, and laughter itself is just the expression of this incongruity” (Schopenhour, 1819) and Kant who believed that “Laughter is an affection arising from the sudden transformation of a strained expectation into nothing. This transformation, which is certainly not enjoyable by the understanding, yet indirectly gives it very active enjoyment for a moment” (Kant, 1892). As well Charles Darwin: “From the fact that a child can hardly tickle itself, or in a much less degree than when tickled by another person, it seems that the precise point to be touched must not be known; so with the mind, something unexpected a novel or incongruous idea which breaks through an habitual train of thought appears to he a strong element in the ludicrous” (Darwin, 1899).

On the other hand none of these theories provides full explanation of laughter. People are laughing even they do not percept any mismatch between two ideas, or they do not feel superior to other. Some people are more likely to laugh in a stressful situation than in a pleasant for example corridors of university are filled with lauder laugh before exams, some psychologist would explained that nervous laughter is a subconscious attempt to reduce stress and calm down.

Social psychologist explains laughter as a sign for social acceptance. People are more likely to laugh if they are in a company where they feel comfort; one research states that people laugh about 30 times more often in a presents of others than being alone. People are smiling without any reason then they saw a friend. Laughter is a powerful tool to form relationships between peoples. In contrast laughter is sometimes used to bully, humiliate or exclude others from a group. To add more people who born without ability to move mimic muscles cannot smile and laugh, therefore they do not have much friend because people feel uncomfortable then they do not get an emotional feedback.

Talking about nature of laughter new research suggests that laughter was evolved from apes. "We have various findings showing that human laughter is deeply rooted in human biology, because, for example, it's present in various cultures, in deaf and blind children," explained Dr Marina Davila-Ross. Davila-Ross in her research made over 800 records of laughter caused by tickle of apes and infants. After analyzing these records she concluded that apes and humans laughter share similar acoustical characteristics.

According to Robert R. Provine study called “Giggle Twins” two twins were separated from the birth, they there growing in different environment bus still they had some similar aspects of laughter sound patterns and a taste of humor. Laughter for sure has some genetic basis.

There are different types of laughter. Laughter is usually classified regarding to its acoustic sound or the reason of laughter. Sometimes we are laughing out loud with mouth wide opened. Sometimes we are keeping our lips closed but still producing a sound by exhaling air from a nose that is called pigeon laughter. There is also a silent laughter that is when mouth is opened but exhaled air is not making any sound. There are lots of different types of laughter like: sniggering, cackling, chuckle etc.

Laughter has a lot of benefits for our body. It reduces stress hormones, boost immune system and energy; diminish pain. Some clinical patients who are watching comedies use fewer painkillers.


Our body cannot see difference between fake and sincere laughter, therefore some people are doing laughter yoga or attending laugh club where a group of people are lying on the ground and faking laughter. After attending such things people sleep better, feel less stress and are happier.

“Your sense of humor is one of the most powerful tools you have to make certain that your daily mood and emotional state support good health.” Paul E. McGhee, Ph.D.

References
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8083230.stm
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31802854/ns/health-behavior/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theories_of_humor
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laughter
Molly Edmonds, 5 Different Types of Laughter
Arthur Schopenhour, The World as Will and Idea, 1819
Immanuel Kant, The Critique of Judgement, 1892
Charles Darwin, The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals, 1899