The psychology of laughter

U.S the perspectives of laughter, why humans laugh, and how laughter creates healthy optimism.

Laughter is an essential aspect of human life. A psychological theory of laughter will consider the biology or brain activity involved in laughter and the associated emotions or expressions that accompany laughter. Why do some people laugh more often than others? Why do some people just laugh while others laugh out loud or heartily? Some people with more active self-control may find it difficult or even strange to laugh too hard. Some people may find it very nice to make others laugh, while others like to laugh and like others to make them laugh.

Laughter is essentially healthy and health experts recommend laughter exercises because when you exercise your facial muscles, your respiratory system is stimulated, your brain and heart also benefit from exercise, and the level of optimism created in your mind essentially translates into in physical well-being. . So when you laugh, it creates optimism and you feel happy and emotionally healthy. When you are emotionally healthy and optimistic, you are able to laugh and this creates a healthy cycle of emotions.

Laughter itself is not a positive emotion but an expression and facilitates positive emotions and laughter is also caused by positive emotions.

When babies cry, you tickle them or hang toys on them so that they immediately forget the negative emotion and start laughing and feeling good. So, happiness being so important in life, laughter is equally important when we express our happiness with laughter. Babies are more innocent and will express their happiness quickly after crying spells. Adults are a bit more controlled and calculating, they may not express their happiness or positive emotions by laughing after depressive episodes or periods of sadness.

Some of the questions (and answers) that psychologists must develop are:

Why do people laugh?

What are the brain mechanisms or brain activities involved in laughter?

Why do some people laugh out loud and others are more in control?

What are the health benefits of laughter?

How does the body respond to laughter?

Why do some people like to make others laugh while others are happy when others make them laugh?

Laughter has a complex psychological dynamic. You may like to laugh or make others laugh and comedians are people who like to keep their audience in control, so they captivate and cheer up the people around them with jokes. When you can make other people laugh, you have power and control over their emotions, so laughter is not as simple as it sounds. It involves a significantly complex psychological dynamic.

Think of comedians like Charlie Chaplin or Seinfeld. They have intense psychological control over their hearing, and that kind of control is power. Making others laugh will eventually give you a sense of power, although comedians make others laugh because they unleash their spirited wit through their jokes. Energetic wit is creative expression and some people are forced to joke around and make their audience laugh.

Laughter is not just about biology, but also about psychological expression, so a study of laughter or even a strange study on the history of laughter could help psychologists understand how laughter developed in humans and how the psychological expressions of laughter helped to develop positive emotions, creative expressions. and brought together societies and communities. In ancient times, street performers made people laugh and this kind of vocation exists even today. Street performers make jokes and make a living by making people laugh and it’s part of the entertainment.

Read my entertainment psychology to understand how entertainment has a positive effect on society. Laughter is also critical to human health, well-being, and longevity. The happier you are, the longer you will live.

The biological basis of laughter

There isn’t much of a history of laughter before the 1960s, when researchers began studying the benefits of laughter. Laughter releases endorphins, which are natural pain relievers or pain relievers, and laughter helps eliminate pain within the body. Laughter triggers positive emotions and stimulation of the hypothalamus and amygdala, and researchers have pointed out that these positive emotions have beneficial effects on the body. Psychology must continue to conduct longitudinal studies to find the long-term effects of laughter on human health. The medicinal effects of laughter also need to be studied further. If you laugh three hours a day for a year, will it ease arthritis or other physical pain? What impact does laughter have on facial muscles? Do you experience accelerated aging or wrinkles when you laugh?

Tea Psychological basis of laughter

Laughter creates positive emotions and supports long-term health, longevity, and well-being. Some psychologists and therapists have come up with innovative ideas such as laughter therapy, the laugh club, etc. Laughter can have physical respiratory benefits, but ultimately it is the psychological benefits that matter. The positive emotions created by laughter are contagious and laughter among team members can help increase energy and achievement within a team.

Laughte’s Philosophical Basisr

There is not much philosophical analysis on laughter. The early Stoic and even Greek philosophers considered public laughter to be unnecessary or avoidable. Although in ancient times court jesters performed regularly to make people laugh and ancient kings had jesters or comedians to entertain people. Laughter in the early days was primarily a form of entertainment rather than psychological therapy. But entertainment has its psychological value, which is why an activity that was just entertainment is now known for its therapeutic attributes. This change in our perspective on laughter is interesting, and the value of laughter will only increase with more discovery.

The literary basis of laughter

Laughter’s literary or historical basis shows that laughter, humor, and satire were interrelated and early satirists and humorists, for example, Voltaire used laughter to influence people’s political motives and decisions. Humor and satire were political tools and laughter has always motivated people in specific directions.

There are also many types of laughter, which I will not detail here, but the types of laughter depend on the expressions, emotions involved, social or cultural mores, and individual personality. Mental illness also affects the type of laughter, and some people with mental illness will have an unusual laugh.

Psychology students and researchers should ideally study the types of laughter that are prevalent in cultures, among certain personalities, and how expressions through laughter have changed over time. Researchers should also study the history of laughter, the social customs associated with laughter, the connections between humor, satire and laughter from a literary and historical perspective, and the transformation of laughter from a purely playful activity to a tool. therapeutic with important health benefits.