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Introduction to Psychology
       January 2013
         D. Bambic
LAUGHTER: THE UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE
Abraham called the name of his son who was
 born to him, whom Sarah bore him: Isaac (i.e.
 „he laughs‟) … and Sarah said, „God has made
 laughter for me; everyone who hears will
 laugh over me‟.

Genesis 21:3 and 6
Analysing humour is like dissecting a frog.
Few people are interested and the frog dies
of it.

E. B. White
(Elements of Style by Strunk and White)
   Have you ever wondered why we laugh?
   What happens in our body and brain when
    we laugh?
   Can we control laughter?
   Why do they say “laughter is the best
    medicine”?

   This presentation will answer these questions
    and examine the pleasure/reward brain
    circuitry in the act of laughing.
   Laughter is not the same thing as humour.
   It is triggered by sensations (hearing other
    people laugh, being tickled), thoughts and
    social cues.

   Laughter is the body‟s involuntary and
    unconscious response to humour (and so it
    includes a subjective appreciation of the
    humorous situation or stimulus).
   Charles Darwin in his 1872 Book, Expression
    of Emotions in Man and Animals, wrote…

    “the evolutionary basis of laughter was its
    function as a social expression of happiness, and
    that this rendered a cohesive survival advantage
    to the group.”
cited: Neural Correlates of Laughter and Humour in Brain: A Journal of Neurology
More than Humans
                    Animal Laughter

We know
that apes,
chimps, dogs
and event
rats “laugh”
when they
play and
when tickled.
 50 kHz Ultrasonic
  Vocalization – chirps
 Laugh in anticipation of
  rewards, nervousness,
  to diffuse aggressive
  situations, display social
  bonding.
 Laughing rats…higher
  social status.
   Jaak Pankseep
   YouTube video
Trained to press „positive‟ lever
   (2,000 Hz + sucrose) and
   „negative‟ lever (9,000 Hz +
   avoidance of shock)

Introduction of ambiguous sound
   (5,000 Hz)
Potential risk, danger

Rats who laughed when tickled
   demonstrated more optimistic
   behaviour = pressed the positive
   lever during ambiguous sound

Study on how emotions bias
   decisions
   Responsive smiling after
    5 weeks
   Begins around 3-4
    months
   Deep-seated brain
    function
   Hearty laughter despite
    minimal language
    acquisition
   Evolutionary purpose:
    social bonding with
    caregiver
 Fifteen different facial
                                            muscles come into play
                                           The larynx half closes,
                                            creating the irregular
                                            air intake or the
                                            characteristic sound of
                                            (gasping) laughter.
                                           Tear ducts can be
                                            activated and the
                                            person can appear to
                                            be gasping for air.
Patrick J. Lynch, medical illustrator -
Wikimedia
   Linguists = laughter is like punctuation because it
    usually occurs at the end of phrases or during
    pauses.
   Analysis shows that it is very regular in its sound
    waves, not like speech.
   Neurobiologist Robert Provine: sonic structure
    of laughter consists of variations on a basic form
    of short, vowel-like notes repeated every 210
    milliseconds.
   Ha-ha-ha OR ho-h0-ho but not both types
 The average person laughs approximately 17
  times per day.
 We are 30 times more likely to laugh in a social
  situation than by ourselves.
 Laughter is an effective way to control group
  behaviour. Think of how it is used to diffuse
  tempers and shift the emotional climate of a
  situation.
 Laughter strengthens relationships.
 Dominant individuals use laughter more than
  their subordinates.
   Electroencephalograph (EEG) measures
    brain activity and researchers saw that the
    brain produces a regular electrical pattern.
    Within four-tenths of a second of exposure to
    something potentially funny, an electrical wave
    moved through the cerebral cortex, the
    largest part of the brain. If the wave took a
    negative charge, laughter resulted. If it
    maintained a positive charge, no response was
    given.
The left side of the
                             cortex (the layer of
                             cells that covers the
                             entire surface of the
                             forebrain) analyzed the
                             words and structure of
                             the joke.



By Camazine from Wikimedia
The brain's large frontal
                             lobe, which is involved in
                             social emotional
                             responses, became very
                             active.
                             The right hemisphere
                             of the cortex carried
                             out the intellectual
                             analysis required to "get"
                             the joke.
By Camazine from Wikimedia
   Brainwave activity then
    spread to the sensory
    processing area of the
    occipital lobe (the area
    on the back of the head
    that contains the cells
    that process visual
    signals).
   Stimulation of the
    motor sections evoked
    physical responses to the
    joke.
 The limbic system is a
  network of structures
  located beneath the
  cerebral cortex. This
  system is important
  because it controls some
  behaviors that are essential
  to the life of all mammals
  such as forming memory
  and experiencing pleasure.
 Can you imagine if people
  could not do these things?
 What would motivate
  parents to care for
  offspring?                     Neurotiker from Wikimedia
 Regulates mood and
  emotions.
 Controls laughter,
  friendship, affection and
  love.
   Reduces pain and allows us to
    tolerate discomfort.
   Shuts down the stress hormones
    released in stressful situations.
   It helps your blood vessels
    function better. It acts on the
    inner lining of blood vessels,
    called the endothelium, causing
    vessels to relax and expand,
    increasing blood flow. In other
    words, it's good for your heart
    and brain, two organs that
    require the steady flow of
    oxygen carried in the blood.
Two hunters are out in the woods when one of
  them collapses. He doesn't seem to be breathing
  and his eyes are glazed.The other guy takes out
  his phone and calls the emergency services.
He gasps: "My friend is dead! What can I do?"
The operator says: "Calm down, I can help. First, let's
  make sure he's dead."
There is a silence, then a gunshot is heard. Back on
  the phone, the guy says: "OK, now what?"
   Here's a challenge. Do you think that you can be tickled with your
    own finger if someone else controls its movements? To check this
    out, you'll need to relax enough so that your partner moves your
    finger without any resistance. First, remove your shoe and sock.
    Cross your legs so that your left foot extends horizontally across
    your right thigh. Have your partner sit on your right side. Let them
    take your right hand and hold it so that your index finger extends
    outward. Relax and give up control of your right arm, finger, and
    hand. Challenge your partner to tickle your exposed arch using
    your index finger. Can it be done? Even though you are not in
    control of the movements, does your body have automatic
    feedback that tells you where and what your body parts are doing?
Famous for the most
contagious laughter in
the world.

Tragic story of loss and
a surprising discovery
of fame at the Comedy
Barn.
                           Montreal Gazette 05/05/2009
It‟s contagious!

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Laughter and the brain

  • 1. Introduction to Psychology January 2013 D. Bambic
  • 3. Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore him: Isaac (i.e. „he laughs‟) … and Sarah said, „God has made laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh over me‟. Genesis 21:3 and 6
  • 4. Analysing humour is like dissecting a frog. Few people are interested and the frog dies of it. E. B. White (Elements of Style by Strunk and White)
  • 5. Have you ever wondered why we laugh?  What happens in our body and brain when we laugh?  Can we control laughter?  Why do they say “laughter is the best medicine”?  This presentation will answer these questions and examine the pleasure/reward brain circuitry in the act of laughing.
  • 6. Laughter is not the same thing as humour.  It is triggered by sensations (hearing other people laugh, being tickled), thoughts and social cues.  Laughter is the body‟s involuntary and unconscious response to humour (and so it includes a subjective appreciation of the humorous situation or stimulus).
  • 7. Charles Darwin in his 1872 Book, Expression of Emotions in Man and Animals, wrote… “the evolutionary basis of laughter was its function as a social expression of happiness, and that this rendered a cohesive survival advantage to the group.” cited: Neural Correlates of Laughter and Humour in Brain: A Journal of Neurology
  • 8. More than Humans Animal Laughter We know that apes, chimps, dogs and event rats “laugh” when they play and when tickled.
  • 9.  50 kHz Ultrasonic Vocalization – chirps  Laugh in anticipation of rewards, nervousness, to diffuse aggressive situations, display social bonding.  Laughing rats…higher social status.  Jaak Pankseep  YouTube video
  • 10. Trained to press „positive‟ lever (2,000 Hz + sucrose) and „negative‟ lever (9,000 Hz + avoidance of shock) Introduction of ambiguous sound (5,000 Hz) Potential risk, danger Rats who laughed when tickled demonstrated more optimistic behaviour = pressed the positive lever during ambiguous sound Study on how emotions bias decisions
  • 11. Responsive smiling after 5 weeks  Begins around 3-4 months  Deep-seated brain function  Hearty laughter despite minimal language acquisition  Evolutionary purpose: social bonding with caregiver
  • 12.  Fifteen different facial muscles come into play  The larynx half closes, creating the irregular air intake or the characteristic sound of (gasping) laughter.  Tear ducts can be activated and the person can appear to be gasping for air. Patrick J. Lynch, medical illustrator - Wikimedia
  • 13. Linguists = laughter is like punctuation because it usually occurs at the end of phrases or during pauses.  Analysis shows that it is very regular in its sound waves, not like speech.  Neurobiologist Robert Provine: sonic structure of laughter consists of variations on a basic form of short, vowel-like notes repeated every 210 milliseconds.  Ha-ha-ha OR ho-h0-ho but not both types
  • 14.  The average person laughs approximately 17 times per day.  We are 30 times more likely to laugh in a social situation than by ourselves.  Laughter is an effective way to control group behaviour. Think of how it is used to diffuse tempers and shift the emotional climate of a situation.  Laughter strengthens relationships.  Dominant individuals use laughter more than their subordinates.
  • 15. Electroencephalograph (EEG) measures brain activity and researchers saw that the brain produces a regular electrical pattern. Within four-tenths of a second of exposure to something potentially funny, an electrical wave moved through the cerebral cortex, the largest part of the brain. If the wave took a negative charge, laughter resulted. If it maintained a positive charge, no response was given.
  • 16. The left side of the cortex (the layer of cells that covers the entire surface of the forebrain) analyzed the words and structure of the joke. By Camazine from Wikimedia
  • 17. The brain's large frontal lobe, which is involved in social emotional responses, became very active. The right hemisphere of the cortex carried out the intellectual analysis required to "get" the joke. By Camazine from Wikimedia
  • 18. Brainwave activity then spread to the sensory processing area of the occipital lobe (the area on the back of the head that contains the cells that process visual signals).  Stimulation of the motor sections evoked physical responses to the joke.
  • 19.  The limbic system is a network of structures located beneath the cerebral cortex. This system is important because it controls some behaviors that are essential to the life of all mammals such as forming memory and experiencing pleasure.  Can you imagine if people could not do these things?  What would motivate parents to care for offspring? Neurotiker from Wikimedia
  • 20.  Regulates mood and emotions.  Controls laughter, friendship, affection and love.
  • 21. Reduces pain and allows us to tolerate discomfort.  Shuts down the stress hormones released in stressful situations.  It helps your blood vessels function better. It acts on the inner lining of blood vessels, called the endothelium, causing vessels to relax and expand, increasing blood flow. In other words, it's good for your heart and brain, two organs that require the steady flow of oxygen carried in the blood.
  • 22. Two hunters are out in the woods when one of them collapses. He doesn't seem to be breathing and his eyes are glazed.The other guy takes out his phone and calls the emergency services. He gasps: "My friend is dead! What can I do?" The operator says: "Calm down, I can help. First, let's make sure he's dead." There is a silence, then a gunshot is heard. Back on the phone, the guy says: "OK, now what?"
  • 23. Here's a challenge. Do you think that you can be tickled with your own finger if someone else controls its movements? To check this out, you'll need to relax enough so that your partner moves your finger without any resistance. First, remove your shoe and sock. Cross your legs so that your left foot extends horizontally across your right thigh. Have your partner sit on your right side. Let them take your right hand and hold it so that your index finger extends outward. Relax and give up control of your right arm, finger, and hand. Challenge your partner to tickle your exposed arch using your index finger. Can it be done? Even though you are not in control of the movements, does your body have automatic feedback that tells you where and what your body parts are doing?
  • 24. Famous for the most contagious laughter in the world. Tragic story of loss and a surprising discovery of fame at the Comedy Barn. Montreal Gazette 05/05/2009 It‟s contagious!