May 6, 2004

Human behaviour is unique to itself. In most instances what humans can do is seldom seen in animal behaviour. This is true in the case for laughter. Examining the animal kingdom we see that none of the animals are capable of laughing, save the chimpanzees and the great apes.

What is the purpose of laughter? Can we imagine communicating with others without laughing? The answer to these questions is that laughter is part of speech. It overlaps speech and between the two there is a punctuation effect allowing clarity between the two.

Laughter occurs as a result of electrical stimulation of nerve cells. It happens in response to an auditory or visual stimulus. Babies begin to laugh for the first time in their lives at approximately four months. On the contrary children are unable to joke until they reach the age of six.

A person never laughs when he is alone. In such a state the person if amused would at the most grin or smile. Laughter mostly occurs when people are in groups. People are able to laugh while speaking which in turn leads their listeners to laugh. This is contagious laughter and is just like contagious yawning where people start yawning after seeing someone else yawn.

Commonly, laughter is not caused by speech designed to make one laugh at jokes or comical stories. Instead they are usual statements which provoke the audience into laughing.

Among the sexes there is difference in the data as to who laughs more and at what frequency. Researchers have shown that women are better at inspiring laughter. This is to say that a female comedian would make people laugh more. Women laugh at 502 hertz while men laugh at 276 hertz.

There is a profound difference between the laughter of humans and that of chimpanzees. In humans laughter results from the chopping of a single expiration whereas chimpanzee laughter is a breathy panting vocalization that is produced during each brief inspiration and expiration. As a result of this difference, the sounds produced by the two are not alike. In humans the sound is either a “Ha-ha-ha” or a “Ho-ho-ho” whereas the chimpanzees produce a sound similar to a handsaw cutting wood. This is because chimpanzees are unable to produce discrete vowel-like notes.

Although humans are able to laugh in any type of social situation this is not the case with chimps. The latter laugh mostly during physical contact and sometimes do so when there is a threat of physical contact. It can happen when they are playing games like wrestling or when they are tickled. It would have been fun if cats or dogs were able to laugh when tickled.

Laughter is not just a communication tool restricted to speech. It also helps in lightening our moods, which always happens after a good bout of laughter. Studies have shown that the brain region of nucleus accumbens is associated with laughter. While laughing, this region possesses extra amounts of the feel good neurotransmitter, dopamine.

Laughter is said to be the best medicine. This is quite true as laughter boosts the immune system. Likewise laughter is good for the health of the cardiovascular system.

Without laughter communication between people is not at its optimum. Laughter allows people to accept each other and it helps people feel that they are deeply connected to each other. It helps people to think clearly, as laughter allows one to focus better on a subject.

If man had not evolved the ability to laugh, a lot of our habits and ways of living would not have been the same. Although speaking does help to communicate with others but if people laugh with someone (not at someone) a friendly feeling is generated. It allows people to bond better. So don’t stop people from laughing — instead make them laugh till their cheeks turn sour.

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