Why Do We Laugh?

Almost everyone recognises and understands laughter. Laughing together improves relationships, building emotional connections and happy memories. Shared laughter brings us closer together and people with better relationships laugh more. When we laugh we connect biologically and it’s no surprise that people looking for mates say that an important quality is that the potential mate makes them laugh. Laughing together creates empathy and a sense of being in it together.

People often use laughter in situations which are far from funny. Laughter is a powerful physical and psychological coping tool. Sometimes we cry when we laugh and sometimes when we are very anxious, sad or fearful we laugh. Having a brighter perspective on things may help to take us away from the situation and into a different state. This dissociation gives us distance, which can be helpful in getting a lighter, healthier perspective on life.

As babies and children we laugh a lot. We laugh as part of play. Laughter helps with learning and creates an atmosphere which makes us more open. As we grow up we tend to laugh less and take life more seriously. Many people perceive that laughter may not be a very grown up activity and may regard it with suspicion. Laughter is an expression of joy and joy enhances our enjoyment of life.

Although most people when asked will tell you that they laugh in response to humour or jokes, in fact we laugh most in conversation as a way of re-inforcing positive communication. It is the people who are actually talking who laugh more than their audience.

Next time you hear laughter see if it is the person who is doing the talking or the audience who are laughing.

Anna