Humor: Exploring the Role of Laughter in Human connection and Wellbeing

BY: Neighbors’ Consejo |

Laughter may be medicine, but its effects extend far beyond mere amusement. In this  article, we pretend to understand how laughter not only lightens our burdens but also strengths our connections with others, revealing its vital role in fostering human resilience and joy. Highlighting the importance of creating bonds and improving our overall sense of wellbeing. 

Humor is “the capacity to express or perceive what’s funny, is both a source of entertainment and a means of coping with difficult or awkward situations and stressful events. Although it provokes laughter, humor can be serious business. From its most lighthearted forms to its more absurd ones, humor can play an instrumental role in forming social bonds, releasing tension, or attracting a mate.”

According to PositivePsychology.com, “philosophers such as Plato and Aristotle have been trying to explain humor since ancient times. Recent scholars have proposed several theories explaining the underlaying mechanisms of humor. Martin and Ford (2018) describe the three top humor theories.”

1. The relief theory focuses primarily on the motivational mechanisms of interpersonal needs, positing that humor provides relief of tension. Martin and Ford describe this as akin to a hydraulic engine, with laughter serving the function of a steam pipe pressure valve. In this way, pent-up pressure is relieved through laughter. 
2. The superiority theory, which focuses on interpersonal motivational mechanisms with humor resulting as a function of self-esteem enhancement. In this way, humor results from feelings of triumph over the errors or misfortune of others, which promotes self-enhancement and feelings of superiority. 
3. The Incongruity theory is believed to be the most influential humor theory, with some proposing that “incongruity is at the core of all humor” (Zhan, 2012, p. 95). This theory is intuitive, as a joke with an expected or obvious punchline is simply not funny. Instead, laughter occurs in response to unexpected punchlines or those that go against usual patterns (Wilkins & Eisenbraun). 

In the study “The Laughter Prescription”, in the National Library of Medicine, “laughter Is a normal and natural physiologic response to certain stimuli with widely acknowledged psychological benefits. However, current research is beginning to show that laughter may also have serious positive physiological effects for those who engage in it on a regular basis. Providers who prescribe laughter to their patients in a structured way may be able to use these natural, free and easily distributable positive benefits.”

Mayo Clinic highlights some short-term and long-term benefits of laughter: 

• Stimulate many organs
• Activate and relieve your stress response
• Soothe tension
• Improve your immune system
• Relieve pain
• Increase personal satisfaction 
• Improve your mood

Why a good sense of humor is an essential life skill? “People at risk for depression tend to fall into depressive episodes when exposed to some kind of negative stimuli, and afterward, it becomes easier and easier for them to relapse into depression. However, reframing a negative event in a humorous light acts as a kind of emotional filter, preventing the negativity from triggering a depressive episode. Humor doesn’t just guard against depression. It also improves people’s overall quality of life.” 

How does laughter bring us together? According to Greater Good Magazine, “laughter isn’t always positive for relationships. Think of your friend laughing at your embarrassing fashion faux pas, or a boyfriend laughing at a comedian you find offensive. This kind of unshared laugher can have the opposite effect.While all genuine laughter may help us to feel good, shared laugher may communicate to others that we have a similar worldview, which strengths our relationship. For people who are laughing together, shared laughter signals that they see the world in the same way, and it momentarily  boosts their sense of connection.”

Laughter is the best medicine. “It draws people together in ways that trigger healthy physical and emotional changes in the body. Laughter strengthens your immune system, boosts mood, diminishes pain, and protects you from the damaging effects of stress. Nothing works faster or more dependably to bring your mind and body back into balance than a good laugh. Humor lightens your burdens, inspires hope, connects you to others, and keeps you grounded, focused, and alert. It also helps you release and anger and forgive sooner.” 

Additionally, “several psychotherapeutic uses of humor are related to the therapist’s ability to use it to reframe clinical situations. For example, by connecting the meaning of the client’s favorite joke to the presenting  problem, or by using humor or jokes as metaphors for the present situation. Additionally, the anxiolytics effects of humor have led to its recognition as one of the most effective coping mechanism inspiring therapists to use humor successfully in stressful situations, such as reducing interpersonal tension, working creatively with aggressive clients, and coping with disasters.”

In conclusion, laughter  not only elevates mood and strengthens the immune system, but also plays a pivotal role in forming social bonds and fostering a sense of community. By integrating humor into daily lives and therapeutic practices, we can improve mental health outcomes, reduce stress and enhance our overall quality of life.  

References: 

Definition of HUMOR. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/humor. 

Humor | Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/humor. 

Laughter Is the Best Medicine – HelpGuide.Org. https://www.helpguide.org/articles/mental-health/laughter-is-the-best-medicine.htm. 

Louie, Dexter, et al. «The Laughter Prescription». American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine, vol. 10, pp. 262-67. PubMed Central, https://doi.org/10.1177/1559827614550279. 

Panichelli, Christophe, et al. «Humor Associated With Positive Outcomes in Individual Psychotherapy». American Journal of Psychotherapy, vol. 71, n.^o 3. psychiatryonline.org (Atypon), https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.psychotherapy.20180021. 

Ph.D, Heather S. Lonczak. «Humor in Psychology: Coping and Laughing Your Woes Away». PositivePsychology.Com, 8 de julio de 2020, https://positivepsychology.com/humor-psychology/.

«Stress Relief from Laughter? It’s No Joke». Mayo Clinic, https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/stress-relief/art-20044456. «Why a Good Sense of Humor Is an Essential Life Skill». Big Think, https://bigthink.com/neuropsych/humor-life-skill/.