The Importance of Laughter in Understanding Human Emotions and Behaviors

Laughters A wise man say, “A laugh is a smile that bursts. ” A very good morning Madam Chairperson, honourable judges, distinguished time keeper, and members of the floor. Ladies and gentlemen, it is indeed and honour to be given the chance to stand here in front of you, the audience. My task today is to share with you about, “Laughters. ” Parents of newborn babies learn quickly there are many different ways for a baby to cry. One type of cry means the baby is hungry, another says the child needs to be changed and yet another may mean it simply wants some attention.

Though these cries may seem indistinguishable to an outsider, parents learn to respond with exactly what their child needs. Parents don't tend to put as much thought into what their child's laugh might mean, unless it sounds really weird and indicates an attack to the people surrounding. In fact, very few people think about differences in laughter at all. We often ask ourselves, why do we laugh? The answer may seem obvious: We laugh when we perceive something funny. But the obvious answer is not correct, at least most of the time.

According to the expert Robert Provine; A PhD neurobiologist and Professor of Psychology at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, most laughter is not in response to jokes or humor. Laughter isn't under our conscious control. Infants laugh almost from birth. In fact, people who are born blind and deaf still laugh. So we know it's not a learned behavior. Researcher also says that laughter may be just a simpler way to communicate and show agreement over certain matters.

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Laughter is a mechanism everyone has. It is part of the universal human vocabulary. All members of the human species understand it. Unlike English or Bahasa Malaysia or French, we don’t have to learn to speak it. We’re born with the capacity to laugh. Laughter is a message that we send to other people. We know this because we rarely laugh when we are alone, do we? Laughter is also specifically a social structure, something that connects humans with one another in a profound way.

According to Provine’s findings, people are 30 percent more likely to laugh in a social setting that warrants it than when alone with humour-inducing media. That means that you're more likely to laugh with friends while watching a comedy together than when you're watching the same show or movie by yourself. Though there are many ways to laugh, from giggles to guffaws and from chuckles to cackles, it turns out that we humans laugh for many reasons, some of them are odd. So what are some of the different types and reasons for all the laughter?

In first place, The Fake Laughter. This type of laughter comes in handy as a way to get along with others, that’s why sometimes we laugh at things that just aren’t funny, whether we’re with our boss, with our teachers or with our friends. Second, The Contagious Laughter. Imagine you're out for dinner with a group of friends. Someone tells a joke and gets one person laughing, which gets a second person laughing, and it continues to one another. Hence, a circle of laughter is created. Is catching laughter like catching a cold?

It's very likely. Besides that, The Nervous Laughter. During times of anxiety, we often laugh in a subconscious attempt to reduce stress and calm down. Laughter lowers the levels of at least four hormones that are associated with stress, so after a good giggle you should be far less tense and anxious. However, nervous laughter usually just heightens the awkwardness of the situation. Let’s move on to The Belly Laughter. Belly laughter is considered as the most honest type of laughter.

It may also be the hardest type to experience, because we have to find something truly hilarious before we'll let go with the kind of laughter that has us clutching our bellies and gasping for air. Next, The Silent Laughter. This happens when you laugh so hard no sound actually comes out and sometimes, tears are coming out of your unsuspecting eyes . It’s like the laugh gets confused and forgets to come from the back of your throat. This laughter stays lodged inside of your brain and you hear it loudly in your head. Lastly, The Unappropriate Laughter.

Fortunate because laughter is fun (and good for your health , remember? ). Misfortunate because this type of laughter could potentially offend someone else or ruin a particular mood. You've probably heard some motherly person say, "It isn't polite to laugh at others' expense. " Classic examples of this are to laugh while attending a person’s funeral, or maybe when someone farted, which is pretty funny, that you’re the only one who heard it or smelled it. If someone else hears your laughter they could be infected by it, because we all know that laughter is contagious.

I’ve mentioned few ways of laughter; The Fake Laughter, The Contagious Laughter, The Nervous Laughter, The Belly Laughter, The Silent Laughter and lastly The Unappropriate Laughter. Ladies and gentlemen, which laughter do you prefer? This list of different types of laughter is not the end-all be-all, but it is pretty close. Even so, laughter takes on many different forms. As has been said, we`ve all heard the phrase "laughter is the best medicine. " But what matters are when laughter is shared, it binds people together and increases happiness and intimacy. Thank you.

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