Sign up FAST! Login

The Fake Laugh


How laughter went from a primal signal of safety (the opposite of a menacing growl) to an odd assortment of vocalizations that smooth as much as confuse social interactions is poorly understood. But researchers who study laughter say reflecting on when and why you titter, snicker or guffaw is a worthy exercise, given that laughter can harm as much as help you.

normalized-tmp-580e2ae6037d9

http://nytimes.com/2016/10/23/opinion/sunday/the-science-of-the-fake-laugh.html

Stashed in: Brain, Awesome, Psychology!, Laugh!

To save this post, select a stash from drop-down menu or type in a new one:

“It’s a hall of mirrors of inferences and intentions every time you encounter laughter,” said Sophie Scott, a neuroscientist at University College London who studies how the brain produces and processes laughter. “You think it’s so simple. It’s just jokes and ha-ha but laughter is really sophisticated and complicated.”

I didn't realize laughter can harm us.

You May Also Like: