Why Do People Laugh?

Last Updated (Saturday, 08 November 2008 15:01) Written by Mary Laskin Thursday, 12 October 2006 01:26

 

Laughter is thought to pre-date human evolution.  The observance of laughter-like panting behaviors in chimpanzees and gorillas supports the theory that laughter started in the ancestor humans share with the great apes.  It was thought to be a way to socially communicate that “we are just playing.”  Humans began to laugh about 2,000-3,000 years before they developed the ability to speak.

 

Laughter has no accent- it is the same across all cultures and societies.   Despite the existence of more than a thousand different languages, laughter sounds similar everywhere around the world.  It even exists in babies who are blind and deaf.  Babies laugh long before they develop the ability to speak.

 

Laughter as a social phenomenon was supported by the research of Robert Provine, PhD (2004, a behavioral neurobiologist at University of Maryland at Baltimore).  Dr. Provide has been studying laughter behaviors for over a decade, observing when laughter occurs in human interaction.  Contrary to common belief, most laughter did not occur in response to humorous situations or jokes.  About 85% of laughter occurs to show support, friendliness, or relieve stress.  People laugh thirty times more often when they are with others compared to when they are alone.  Laughter truly can be contagious- others will laugh when they hear laughter.  This is why laugh tracks became so popular on television shows.