Laughter
Laughing tells others you feel humor.
Laughter is feedback for comedians - it tells them a joke made others feel humor.
Laughing also help establish what is considered low rank. We do not laugh at racial jokes. We do laugh at jokes about racists, like Archie Bunker. Most people laugh at fat jokes. Most people do not laugh at short jokes.
Laughing is better than speaking.
Comedians could not understand an audience of people providing feedback by simultaneously saying “I feel humor” in their own words.
Laughing is better than applauding.
Laughing requires less time than applauding. Because laughing is quicker, audiences can use it to provide feedback during a performance without interrupting it. Audiences use applause to provide feedback at the end of a performance when there is no risk of interruption.
Laughter is a voluntary expression.
Laughter seems to be an involuntary reaction to humor - it happens without thinking when you feel humor. It seems to be involuntary because it is a deeply ingrained habit, like walking or talking. You don't think about how to walk or talk - just do it. Similarly, you laugh without thinking when you feel humor.
Laughter is feedback for comedians - it tells them a joke made others feel humor.
Laughing also help establish what is considered low rank. We do not laugh at racial jokes. We do laugh at jokes about racists, like Archie Bunker. Most people laugh at fat jokes. Most people do not laugh at short jokes.
Laughing is better than speaking.
Comedians could not understand an audience of people providing feedback by simultaneously saying “I feel humor” in their own words.
Laughing is better than applauding.
Laughing requires less time than applauding. Because laughing is quicker, audiences can use it to provide feedback during a performance without interrupting it. Audiences use applause to provide feedback at the end of a performance when there is no risk of interruption.
Laughter is a voluntary expression.
Laughter seems to be an involuntary reaction to humor - it happens without thinking when you feel humor. It seems to be involuntary because it is a deeply ingrained habit, like walking or talking. You don't think about how to walk or talk - just do it. Similarly, you laugh without thinking when you feel humor.
People laugh when they feel humor - out of habit.
And people laugh when they don't feel humor. People often laugh, for example, at their bosses jokes when they are not funny.
And people don't laugh when they do feel humor. People don't usually laugh, for example, when feeling humor at a funeral.
Your laugh can be changed.
Since laughter is not an innate expression, like crying or frowning, it must be learned from others. You probably learned your particular style of laughing from your parents or siblings. If you don't like your laugh, you can change it. Changing your laugh requires changing a deeply ingrained habit - it's possible, but takes concerted effort - like changing your accent.
And people laugh when they don't feel humor. People often laugh, for example, at their bosses jokes when they are not funny.
And people don't laugh when they do feel humor. People don't usually laugh, for example, when feeling humor at a funeral.
Your laugh can be changed.
Since laughter is not an innate expression, like crying or frowning, it must be learned from others. You probably learned your particular style of laughing from your parents or siblings. If you don't like your laugh, you can change it. Changing your laugh requires changing a deeply ingrained habit - it's possible, but takes concerted effort - like changing your accent.
For more about emotions, visit: Happiness Dissected
