We Start Laughing 3.5 To 4 Months Old; Scientists Believe That It Is A Way To Build Relationships, Not Necessarily A Response To Something Funny

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If you’ve read my previous article on tickling, you’ll know that laughter, even though usually associated with the comical or funny, is much more than what it appears to be. It would seem that laughter is not just an outlet for expressing amusement or a good sense of humor, but it can also be an expression of closeness or a bond shared with another person. For instance, have you ever noticed that people who are in a relationship or married tend to laugh at each other’s jokes, even when the joke is not funny (note: sitting at a dinner table with an old married couple and feeling like you’re out of the loop, because here they are laughing and all you can do is push the food around your plate and try to figure out what’s so funny about the word carrot)? As such, it would seem that laughing, more than anything, is a way to strengthen relationships.

This makes sense when you think about the psychology behind laughter. However, to recognize this, we must return to its beginnings. Specifically, we must first explore how and where laughter came to be. Luckily for us, a Neuropsychologist by the name of Robert Provine, from the University of Maryland, wrote a book about the subject of laughter titled “Laughter: A Scientific Investigation”. In his work, Provine explains that we acquire the ability to laugh long before we acquire the capacity to speak words. Basically, laughing is something a baby learns to do within the first four months of its life, and serves as a means of communication and bonding activity between the child and its parent. Think about it: A parent who gets a child to laugh takes it as a sign that they are doing something good, and continues to do it. In turn, the child carries on laughing at the antics of the parent, almost as a means of positive reinforcement, so that the parent may continue to do whatever it is he or she is doing.

As such, at least in this instance, laughter serves the purpose of strengthening the bond between parent and child. But this can also be seen in the way friends interact with each other. Provine observed many cases of laughter and found that less than 20% of all laughter was spurred by the result of something funny. More often than not, people tended to laugh or giggle at statements such as, “I’ll see you later” in the presence of their friends. Provine explains that, in this case, laughter facilitates communication between friends and helps reinforce said friendship through mutual entertainment/joy.

However, do you think that laughter is the sole way of reinforcing friendships? Are there other more negative emotions which could also potentially help strengthen bonds? For instance, hasn’t it been perceived that those who grieve together tend to share strong bonds as well? Food for thought.

-Cassey

Edited by: Seraphina Leong

 

SOURCES

McGraw, P. & Warner, J. (2014). Entry 3: Why do humans laugh? (Hint: It’s rarely because something’s funny.) Retrieved from http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/culturebox/features/2014/the_humor_code/why_do_humans_laugh_the_evolutionary_biology_of_laughter.html

Provine, R. (1999) A big mystery: Why do we laugh? Retrieved from http://www.nbcnews.com/id/3077386/#.VB9inPldXup

Provine, R. (2000) The Science of Laughter. Retrieved from http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200011/the-science-laughter

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