6 Questions
Laughter is a sincere response to humour only 20% of the time. It seems the majority of laughs perform the role of building and strengthening human relationships rather than showing appreciation for comedy. If you find that hard to believe, consider the fact that children who are born deaf and blind begin to laugh at around the same time as any other children clear evidence that ______ is an essential social tool for humans.
laughter
Sharing a ______ is a way of creating positive feelings in others, and can be useful in encouraging cooperation within a group of people who need to complete a task together. This is especially the case when such a group are strangers who have never met before, as ______ter helps them to establish common ground.
laugh
Not only that, but ______ often arises in situations when nobody has actually made a joke. Take a USA study made in 2004. Researchers focused on a group of people involved in a situation of the utmost seriousness a murder trial. They examined all the conversations that took place between the people on the jury while they discussed whether or not the man on trial was guilty. At one point, the group realised they had misunderstood an important piece of information relating to a sentence for one of the charges. There had been confusion about whether the sentence was 30 days or 30 years and this led to ______ across the room.
laughter
People laugh when they see or hear something funny, right.
people
It seems the majority of ______ perform the role of building and strengthening human relationships rather than showing appreciation for comedy.
laughs
Match the following statements with their descriptions:
Laughter = Builds and strengthens human relationships Children born deaf and blind laughing = Clear evidence of laughter as an essential social tool for humans Sharing a laugh = Creates positive feelings in others and encourages cooperation Confusion about sentence length in a trial leading to laughter = Example of laughter arising in serious situations
Study Notes
Laughter and Social Relationships
- Laughter is a sincere response to humor only 20% of the time, suggesting that its primary function is not to appreciate comedy.
- The majority of laughter serves to build and strengthen human relationships.
- Children born deaf and blind laugh at the same age as other children, demonstrating that laughter is an essential social tool for humans.
- Sharing laughter creates positive feelings in others and encourages cooperation within a group.
- Laughter is particularly useful when a group of strangers need to complete a task together, as it helps establish common ground.
Laughter in Unexpected Situations
- Laughter often arises in situations where no joke has been made.
- A 2004 USA study observed a group of people discussing a murder trial and found that laughter broke out when they realized a misunderstanding about a sentence.
- The laughter in this scenario served to relieve tension and build relationships within the group.
- This study illustrates that laughter is not always a response to humor, but rather a social tool for bonding and relieving tension.
Explore the social significance of laughter and its role in human relationships. Discover the true purpose of laughter beyond just responding to humor.
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