Why We Laugh

Jain Dell Pamela

Description

Have you ever laughed at something that wasn't funny? Maybe you've laughed at a really serious moment during a film. Did you wonder why? The answer is in the science of laughter! From laughing uncontrollably in happiness to chuckling inappropriately, emotions can sometimes get the better of you. But next time you or your friends giggle at the wrong moment or simply can't stop, you'll understand what's really going on in your brains. Plus, you'll learn tips for decoding body language and find out about the benefits that come with laughter. All joking aside, mental health is no joke, so when behaviours and feelings have crossed the line, you'll also learn when it's time to reach out for help.

Informations

• Publié par: Capstone Global Library
• Date de parution: 23 janvier 2020
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781474789325
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 7 Mo

Extrait

WHY WE LAUGH THE SCIENCE OF GIGGLES

Pamela Dell

Raîntree îs an împrînt of Capstone Global Lîbrary Lîmîted, a company încorporated în England and Wales havîng îts regîstered offîce at 264 Banbury Road, Oxford, OX2 7DY – Regîstered company number: 6695582

www.raîntree.co.uk myorders@raîntree.co.uk

Text © Capstone Global Lîbrary Lîmîted 2020 The moral rîghts of the proprîetor have been asserted.

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Edîted by Gîna Kammer, Kellîe M Hultgren Desîgned by Brann Garvey Orîgînal îllustratîons © Capstone Global Lîbrary Lîmîted 2020 Pîcture research by Tracy Cummîns Productîon by Torî Abraham Orîgînated by Capstone Global Lîbrary Ltd Prînted and bound în Indîa

978 1 4747 8918 9 (hardback) 978 1 4747 8925 7 (paperback)

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A full catalogue record for thîs book îs avaîlable from the Brîtîsh Lîbrary.

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Contents

CHAPTER 1 Ha ha, what’s it all about?� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �4 CHAPTER 2 Laughter: helping social survival� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �6 CHAPTER 3 The feel-good phenomenon � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �16 CHAPTER 4 LOL: different jokes for different folks� � � � � � � � � � � � �24 CHAPTER 5 The dark side of laughter� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �40 CHAPTER 6 The hopefulness of humour� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �48

Reach out � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � Glossary � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � Find out more � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � Comprehension questions � � � � � � � � � � � Source notes � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � Select bibliography � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � Index � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �

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CHAPTER 1

Haha, what’sit allabout?

ERE’S A QUESTION FOR YOU: Whîch came fîrst, language or H laughter? If you guessed laughter, you’d be rîght. That’s totally logîcal îf you thînk about ît. Most babîes begîn to laugh out loud at around 3 or 4 months old. Some take longer, but whenever ît fîrst happens, înfants are chucklîng long before they utter theîr earlîest words. Laughter îs înnate. In other words, ît’s a buîlt-în abîlîty. No one had to show you how to do ît. One day you just burst out în spontaneous baby gîggles, and you’ve been laughîng wîthout lessons ever sînce.

“People throughout history have laughed in pretty much the same way, which is a very curious business because we don’t consciously decide to do it�” Dr Robert Provine, neurobiologist

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Humans laugh a lot� According to scientific studies, people laugh about seven times for every 10 minutes of talking together�

Now thînk about language, a learned skîll. Even îf you were a chîld genîus, ît took you a whîle to start talkîng. And wîth about 7,100 dîfferent languages în the world, communîcatîon between those who don’t speak the same languages can be a real challenge. But you can share a laugh wîth anyone, even îf you don’t understand a sîngle word they say. What îs laughter really all about? What’s the psychologîcal sîgnîfîcance of ît? Why do people tend to feel good about each other when they get caught în a chuckle-fest? And what’s goîng on în your braîn and your body when you start laughîng your head off? Researchers of all kînds have been workîng overtîme to answer these questîons. The thîngs they’ve dîscovered mîght surprîse you!

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