P. 41: Elaboration Of A Previous Idea

Norman Cousins said, “Laughter is a powerful way to tap positive emotions" (Moss 1). Humor is studied by many researchers in sociology, psychology, art, literature, and medicine. When people wonder whether humor aids in areas other than health, a treasure trove of possible benefits to the learning or educational community is opened up. Humor can be used as a tool to promote learning.Research speaks to the many benefits of humor in healing, to its benefits in the classroom or boardroom, from reducing stress of students or employees, to boosting self-esteem and feelings of camaraderie. Additionally, studies show that those who use humor to convey a message are often more favorably perceived. Humor helps deliver the presenter's message to

What is it about humor that makes us feel closer to someone? Sharing laughter can make two people feel closer to one another, thus, “humor is an overlooked aspect of marriage.” (Koning, E., & Weiss, R. 2002). Many researchers have studied the effects of humor in close, intimate relationships and have found that humor seems to play a significant role in satisfaction. Although humor is an important aspect to any relationship, it can be used to bring continual satisfaction to married couples. Why? Perhaps it’s that humor is related to social intelligence as well as spousal appeal (McGee, E., & Shevlin, M., 2009). However, while humor has the capacity to bring two people together, it also has potential to tear them apart. Humor is related to intimacy within a relationship, especially for women. (Koning, E., & Weiss, R. 2002). Specifically, if humor is used in a negative fashion, reports of relationship satisfaction may be lower than those who encounter the use of positive humor. Overall, “using humor serves different functions within intimate relationships.” (Koning, E., & Weiss, R. 2002).

Throughout the entire piece, Klein uses humor as a way to bring mindfulness to an area many would not want to go

Humor can be used for bonding, releasing stress, entertaining others, or taunting and putting a rival in their place. Humor is also a mask people where every day, and they wear it very well. People wear different types of humor to hide their true feelings and emotions. It is commonly misunderstood that people who humor others are always happy. Humor is like a tool a person uses to maintain their happiness, or hide their emotions very well. It can be used to hide someone’s pain, insecurities, and even their mental illnesses. A person trying to hide their pain with humor would do so by making others laugh. Robin Williams was dealing with this. He would use humor to not only disguise his pain, but to get away from it. A person dealing with insecurities would use humor to hide their lack of confidence. No one will be ever being able to truly detect the difference of humor with or without confidence. For people who are diagnosed with a mental illness, such as depression, will use humor as a form of healing. This will often blind those who are looking inside from the outside, because they will automatically assume the person’s well-being is in a

2. Sub-subpoint Studies show that our response to stressful events can increase by whether we view something as a threat or a challenge. Humor can give us a more lighthearted perspective and help us view events as challenges, which makes them less threatening and seem more positive.

Philosophers over the years have attempted to generate their own theories of what makes a person laugh. Bergson and Davis’s theories have given people an indication of what that could be. Together these philosopher’s theories enlighten us to why people might laugh. Bergson and Davis’s theories limit us in explaining to the fullest extent of the workings of comedy. Bergson’s theory has three elements that he believes constitute why we laugh and claims, “…the mechanical encrusted upon the living,” promotes laughter (Bergson 10). While Davis’s theory is concerned with the foundation of laughter with incongruities and ambiguities. As well the audience, who finds something funny, instead of the object that is funny.

In the journal article Humour as Emotion Regulation: The Differential Consequences of Negative Versus Positive Humour, authors Andrea Samson and James Gross (2012) conduct two studies that focus on using different forms of humor in order to regulate emotions. Multiple theories on humor were explained throughout the introduction such as humor being used as a distraction technique or humor being used to alleviate negative emotions. The authors clearly explained there was currently no general consensus between the theories (Samson & Gross, 2012).

Humor is often considered as a powerful weapon, although it should be used with caution. There is appropriate humor which dissipates tension; and inappropriate humor which provokes tension (Meeus and Mahieu, 2009). A humor style is defined as the type of humor an individual typically practices when interacting with others (Preeus and Sweeny, 2013). Martin et al. (2003) proposed a model of humor styles comprising of four different styles of humor which are independent of each other. These humor styles are based on whether humor is:

Gene Weingarten does not make anything vague about the effect laughter has on people, which relates to the subject of the sentence. Laughter is not vague, only showing something was funny or emotionally relieving. The use of the word “triumph” in particular suggests that laughter has a very significant effect on fear. Taken out of context, this sentence seems average, but knowing that the sentence is about playing peekaboo gives it more meaning. Even as infants, people have an innate sense of humor in knowing that what they feared was false, and this humor carries out into adulthood. Weingarten demonstrates time and time again that he has a profound understanding of human nature, and this sentence is one example. It is true that people laugh to stop their fear and pain; most people have heard the expression that laughter is the best medicine.

Scharr (2001) argues that, “Humorous exchanges are often expressions of power between the joke-teller and the target of the joke,” is a well-supported notion (p. 25). According to Berger (1987) “We derive pleasures from the feelings of superiority endangered when we observe these

“What is the definition of humor?” That is the question psychologist and philosophers are trying to define. Humor seems to be in a vague category that no one seems to have a simple explanation for. It is a mystery and can be defined as a variety of different definitions and can go in a variety of different directions. “Many scientists have only recently studied humor as a topic and they have stated that humor was defined as a taboo or trivial systematic inquiry.” ( Harre and Lamb). Humor has been around since the Greek times but it was never a concrete topic. It has always seemed abstract, but in the last 100 years behavioral scientist has been trying to dig deep into the word and try to give it a definition. Everyone’s sense of humor varies and can be different in everyone. Some may have a dry sense of humor, sarcastic sense of humor, a dark sense of humor and others might laugh at everything and think many things are humorous. Others might think nothing is funny and may not have a sense of humor. One cannot say something is funny or not because there is such a diverse range

Comedy can transcend social boarders because it appeals to an intrinsic part of humanity—emotion. Granted, many variables factor into a person’s display of an emotion: personality, temperament, maturity and circumstance, nevertheless there is a status-quo. We still have set expectations of people—how they will react to this, or that. In his article, “Laughter and the Brain” Richard Restak claims all humor plays on the expectations or “assumptions [we have] about the world and how it works” based on our previous life experiences (linguists refer to these expectations as scripts) (21-22). Nevertheless, you don’t need to have personally experienced the given scenario to understand and appreciate a joke because we also develop scripts from interpersonal experience. For example, a child might feel jealousy over the attention another one receives, or a toy the other has. As an adolescent might envy the status of someone more popular, or the attention of a significant other. Similarly, an adult could envy the: wealth, job or promotion of another received etc. The object of desire may change, but the emotion remains the same. Therefore, we can empathize with each other despite our differences.

Humor helps a child to cope in different environments. No matter the place or time, having lighter moments every now and then can help a child adjust and eventually cope with the changes. Being able to stay happy and laugh in the middle of unwanted changes is a great way to help a kid learn how to easily adjust and cope in different environments and circumstances regardless of how adverse they are.

Laughter is a powerful tool for combating stress and conflict.  It can dissipate anger, sadness and other negative emotions.  In addition to making you feel good, laughter can improve your health and make your relationships with others closer and stronger.  There are a wide variety of benefits to be gained by making daily laughter a priority.

Before I begin backing up my point I would like explain how laughter has been entwined in my life and how important laughing is to our wellbeing. My grandfather, Larry Ahner, taught me from a very young age to find the humor where it was most needed. A very large majority of my early childhood memories involve something funny, whether it be a joke or someone acting up. As a child I spent a lot of time with my pap, hunting and fishing or going camping to Lake Wallenpaupack or just getting off the school bus and staying at his house. There was never a dull moment with that old man. He always had a joke to say or a funny face to make when something happened. If a bad day