Have You Heard the One About Laughter...

In today's hectic world, it's important to remember to laugh. This article is being reprinted to  help us to remember how it helps us in the classroom and in life!​

Human beings are not the only creatures that laugh. Researchers have recorded and interpreted animal sounds which, when analyzed, suggest that as many as 65 species of social animals “laugh” for social reasons such as bonding. Research into human laughter is scarce, mostly because the process is so complex and this complexity confounds the tools used to measure various elements of the process, such as MRIs, CT scans, facial recognition to name a few. However, though limited, there is research available regarding the chemistry/biology of laughter and social elements of shared laughter. Evidently, laughing alone is hard to do and very hard to evaluate.

What happens when we laugh?

Good question! Research indicates that laughter stimulates parts of the brain associated with emotions, memory and social interactions. This stimulation results in a chemical reaction in the brain similar to those created by pleasurable activities such as eating a great dessert or dancing to beautiful music. Laughter increases oxygen intake and relieves tension. Laughter improves catecholamine levels, which increase mental functioning (Fry, 1984); and helps the functioning of both hemispheres of the brain (Derks, Bogart, Bartolome-Rull & Gillikin, 1997). Strean The old saying “Laughter is the best medicine” is true in many respects: it may not beat penicillin in curing an infection, but it enables the infected to maintain a positive outlook necessary to follow the doctor’s orders.

Laughter: Antidote to Stress

By activating neural pathways of emotions such as joy and mirth, laughter can improve your mood and make your physical and emotional response to stress less intense.  For example, laughing may help control brain levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin, similar to what antidepressants do.  By minimizing your brain’s responses to threats, it limits the release of neurotransmitters and hormones like cortisol that can wear down your cardiovascular, metabolic, and immune systems over time.  Laughter’s kind of like an antidote to stress, which weakens these systems and increases vulnerability to diseases.

From: The Science of Laughter and Its Physical, Cognitive, and Emotional Power.

Why do we laugh?

We are hard-wired to laugh. Isn’t the laughter of an infant one of the most wonderful sounds in the world? Babies are not taught to laugh; they are born to laugh. Their laughter develops muscles; increases upper body strength; coordinates complex facial muscles; and activates multiple regions of the brain, such as the motor cortex, frontal lobe, and limbic system, which strengthen neural connections (brain development).

Image Credit: ID 19071570 | Baby Laughing © Kharyadi | Dreamstime.com
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For over 2000 years, philosophers have developed theories to explain human laughter:

• Superiority Theory – a feeling of dominance.
• Incongruity Theory – appreciation of something that violates our expectations.
• Relief Theory – the release of nervous energy.
• Social-bonding Theory – the need to change the behavior of others. Caruana

Because laughter is such a complex behavior, each of these theories is applicable and research suggests that they reflect the areas of the brain that, when triggered, may contribute to resulting laughter. However, neuroscience experiments appear to support the social-bonding theory overall:

• We can, but we usually do not, laugh alone. Caruana
• Each of the theories reflects an aspect of inter-social engagement. Caruana
• Infant laughter elicits strong social bonding with parents, caregivers, and family members. Gibson

Image Credit: ID 136291839 | Laughing © Monkey Business Images | Dreamstime.com
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• Laughter facilitates and enhances learning. Strean
• Humor contributes to an individual’s health and well-being. Gibson
• “Laughter and humor are vital components of adaptive social, emotional and cognitive function.” Barker

It is important to note that laughter isn’t always positive or healthy. Teasing, mocking, making fun of others are just some of the ways humor can be used to hurt other people. Laughing inappropriately can disrupt a proceeding such as a wedding or a funeral; it can also disturb others in crowds or other social settings.

Using laughter—for good​

• How can laughter contribute to positive educational outcomes?

We’re glad you asked!
In the last few decades neuroscientists and social scientists have developed a body of research that validates the use of humor and laughter in teaching to facilitate and enhance learning. Today, we take for granted that the two most important elements of effective teaching are teacher-student connection and student engagement. Strean

Image Credit: ID 337447089 | Laughing © Yuri Arcurs | Dreamstime.com
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Studies have shown that with humor builds and strengthens teacher-student connections which are essential for learning, retention, and engagement. Here are a few ways to bring humor into the kindergarten to university classroom:

• Begin class with an amusing picture or short funny story.
• Faces and gestures to lighten the mood.
• Games to facilitate learning a particular lesson.
• Activities and movement – Simon Says, Chicken Dance, Strike a Pose, for example.
• Music to alter the atmosphere – silly tunes might be in order from time to time.
• Share funny personal experiences and encourage students to do the same.

All classroom humor should be “appropriate, timely and tasteful.” Strean Humor is profoundly cultural and in today’s diverse classrooms it may a challenge to develop a practice of humor that includes everyone and in which all students can be engaged. Developing such a practice will take time, patience, understanding, and well, a good sense of humor!
 
P.S. The very young and the young at heart can learn from laughter.

Image Credit: ID 86332779 | Laughing © Feverpitched | Dreamstime.com

Submitted by Cheryl Stewart,
MOTAL Board Director

SOURCES:
Barker, L. (5/1/2017). The Science of Laughter – and Why It Also Has a Dark Side. Scientific American. 
The Science of Laughter--and Why It Also Has a Dark Side - Scientific American

Caruana, F. (9/6/2017). Laughter as a Neurochemical Mechanism Aimed at Reinforcing Social Bonds: Integrating Evidence from Opioidergic Activity and Brain Stimulation. The Journal of Neuroscience 37(36):8581-8582.
[PDF] Laughter as a Neurochemical Mechanism Aimed at Reinforcing Social Bonds: Integrating Evidence from Opioidergic Activity and Brain Stimulation | Semantic Scholar

Fox, A. (5/19/2021). Dogs Do It, Birds Do It, and Dolphins Do It, Too. Here are 65 Animals That Laugh, According to Science. Smithsonian Magazine.
Dogs Do It, Birds Do It, and Dolphins Do It, Too. Here Are 65 Animals That Laugh, According to Science | Smart News| Smithsonian Magazine

Gibson, J. (12/2020). The Science of Laughter and Its Physical, Cognitive, and Emotional Power.
The Science of Laughter and Its Physical, Cognitive, and Emotional Power - Blue Zones
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Strean, W. (___). Evolving Toward Laughter in Learning.
Collected Essays on Learning and Teaching