Laughter as a Primer for Creativity
What is creativity? Well, even people researching in the field don’t seem to agree on the definition of creativity. It is a huge area of human functioning, a complex and messy process. Most people do agree that anything regarded as creative has a degree of novelty and utility. But who is it new to? And who judges something as useful? There are almost infinite ways of looking at creativity and every person expresses their own creativity in an individual way.
So why are we interested in creativity? It’s not just artists or songwriters who are creative, but people working in all fields. In fact, it could be argued that one vital aspect of creativity is the ability to react constructively to change. But creativity is not just a reaction, it’s a driver and has certainly shaped our increasingly rapid progress in recent times.
Laughter and creativity are not often linked. It’s interesting that they were both identified in the seminal work in the field of positive psychology as two universally recognised, desirable character strengths 1. This work defined the character strength of humour as “liking to laugh and tease; bringing smiles to other people”. This wording is interesting as although it mentions teasing, there is a positive and generous feel to the definition as it conveys bringing pleasure and joy to others. Thinking about solving puzzles and playing a new board game shows us how laughter and creativity go together. We often smile or laugh when we get the answer to a clever crossword clue.
Creativity has become a highly valued skill in recent years. In education it is recognised as a goal, although constant testing and judgement may hinder its development. The United Nations have designated 21 April as World Creativity and Innovation Day to raise awareness of the role of creativity and innovation in all aspects of human development. Creativity is becoming even more important in times of rapid and accelerating change. Laughter may be a primer for creativity by dissolving creative blocks and getting rid of negative self-talk.
When we laugh, we take ourselves out of our heads and away from regrets about the past or worries about the future. Laughter takes us into the present. We can only think about laughter when we are lost in laughter. This is how laughter acts as a cognitive re-boot. It clears our heads and invigorates our bodies by moving stale air from the bottom of the lungs. As we laugh, we give our minds and bodies natural refreshment. How about adding this to your break from sitting? Stand up and stretch. Think about a time when you really, really laughed and who you were with. You probably won’t be able to remember what you were laughing about. So, make it up – be creative.
Peterson, C. (2004). Character strengths and virtues: A handbook and classification.