Why we laugh at different things – and what that tells us about humour
Articles on Laughter
Displaying 1 - 20 of 37 articles
The team printed a honeycomb and a Canadian maple leaf, both roughly the size of a single grain of sand.
A new study of great ape laughter also gives clues about how humans’ ancient ancestors started speaking.
American writer Ralph Ellison provided a sharp analysis of the subversive power of Black laughter in 1930s America.
Democrats are taking a new tone aimed at a particular weakness of Donald Trump: He hates being laughed at.
Catholic theologians and monastics have always encouraged humor, emphasizing its power to heal and bring cultures together.
Ever find bloopers funnier than the show? I research psychology, and here is the science behind your laughter.
Laughter is one of the healthiest things a child can do, but it means very different things at different stages of brain development.
Jokes can be a healing contagion as they expose hypocrisy, spark laughter and open minds.
Laughter is one of the most ubiquitous and pleasurable things humans do, which is why companies online want to know what we find funny.
Laughter is so fundamental that animals like chimps, rats and dogs share the ability with humans. But in people it serves more serious social functions than just letting others know you’re having fun.
A clinical psychologist explains what has the potential to trigger our usually well-meaning laughter.
Could laughter be a survival mechanism?
Psychology researchers know what kinds of behavior enhance feelings of social connection.
Social media during the pandemic is not all doom scrolling and despair. Lighter memes have psychological benefits.
It may seem strange to seek humour in the face of disaster, but our need to do so is ancient.
Whether in the form of a discreet titter or a full-on roar, laughter comes with many benefits for physical and mental health.
Through his work, the Argentinian cartoonist Joaquin Salvador Lavado Tejon, known to all as Quino, engaged in pointed social critique on a range of topics that are even more relevant today.
One thing that makes the current situation unique is that it is not a single event in a specific place and time. Humour is a coping strategy.
Dads have taken over TikTok since social isolation began. More than a way to kill time at home, laughter and fun dancing times can build family bonds, reduce stress and cultivate a resilient mindset.
Top contributors
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Professor of Pediatrics, Università di Siena
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Lecturer in Psychology, Aberystwyth University
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Senior Lecturer in History, Edge Hill University
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Associate Professor in Cognitive Neuroscience, Sheffield Hallam University
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Associate Professor of Psychology, Fort Lewis College
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PhD candidate, University of Sydney
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Professor of Cognitive Psychology, UCL
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Professor in Psychology, UCL
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Honorary Clinical Professor of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne
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Director, Office of Scholarly Communication and Publishing, University of Pittsburgh
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Professor of Philosophy, Macquarie University
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Professor in Professional Education and Leadership, School of Social Sciences, University of Stirling., University of Stirling
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Lecturer in Developmental Psychology, Goldsmiths, University of London
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PhD Researcher, Nature and Function of Human Nonverbal Vocalisations, University of Sussex
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Associate Professor in Psychological Science, Western Sydney University