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cover of episode Why We Laugh: The Many Shapes and Forms of Laughter with Neuroscientist Sophie Scott (#99)

Why We Laugh: The Many Shapes and Forms of Laughter with Neuroscientist Sophie Scott (#99)

2022/6/28
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Sophie Scott: 笑声是重要的社交情感表达，与陪伴和人际关系密切相关，而非仅仅是对幽默的回应。笑声并非主要源于幽默，而是一种社交性的快乐表达，是与他人建立社交联系时产生的快乐情感的表达。笑声与其他情感表达（如惊讶）不同，它主要发生在社交互动中，具有高度的沟通性和情感表达功能，是一种有效的减压工具，尤其是在群体共享时。没有一种东西能保证让所有人觉得好笑，笑声的传染性很重要。观看他人努力克制笑声的视频，可以有效地引发旁观者的笑声，因为笑声具有很强的传染性。人们往往低估自己笑得频率，对笑声的自我认知与实际笑声频率之间没有直接关系。笑声并非随机产生，它与社交情境和个体情绪状态密切相关。笑声频率与幸福感之间可能存在良性循环关系，互相影响。人们在不同社交情境下的笑声表现不同，与亲密朋友在一起时，笑声更轻松、更自然。在对话中，人们的笑声会相互影响，这是一种行为传染现象，在许多社会性动物中都存在。打哈欠、咳嗽、挠痒等行为都具有传染性，这是一种社交信号，也反映了动物的情绪状态。人类是唯一一种笑声具有传染性的动物，这是一种后天习得的行为。笑声的相互模仿是一种无意识的行为，它在强化社交联系方面起着重要作用。笑声可以被用来进行交易性的社交互动，例如在压力情境下缓解紧张气氛，但也可能被用来掩盖更严重的问题。笑声的产生和解读都非常复杂，其含义取决于情境和个体解读。自发性笑声会引起身体上的生理变化，例如内啡肽分泌增加、肾上腺素和皮质醇水平降低，从而让人感觉愉悦和放松。在高压职业中，笑声可以作为一种减压和团队凝聚力的工具，有时会表现为黑色幽默。在高压职业中，不恰当的笑声（如对犯罪现场的不当反应）可能反映出团队内部的凝聚力以及对局外人的排斥。男女在笑声方面没有显著差异，但熟悉度对笑声的传染性有影响。笑声从不中性，它具有意义，值得重视；应该关注自己与谁一起笑，以及笑声在日常生活中的重要性。 Lynn Tillman: 作为访谈节目的主持人，Lynn Tillman 主要负责引导话题，提出问题，并对Sophie Scott 的观点进行回应和补充。她对笑声的科学研究表现出浓厚的兴趣，并积极参与讨论。她的问题和评论促进了对笑声的更深入探讨，例如她提到了自己童年时对父亲使用笑声的观察，以及对笑声在不同社交情境中作用的思考。这些互动使得访谈内容更加丰富和生动。

Deep Dive

Key Insights

Why is laughter primarily a social behavior?

Laughter is primarily a social behavior because people are 30 times more likely to laugh when they are with others, especially if they know and like those people. It is not primarily a response to humor but rather a social joy experienced in the presence of others.

What is the role of laughter in social interactions?

Laughter plays a crucial role in social interactions by bonding people, reducing stress, and signaling affiliation. It helps negotiate better moods and strengthens social ties, making it a powerful tool for emotional regulation in groups.

How does laughter affect our physiology?

Laughter triggers physiological changes, including an increase in endorphins, a reduction in adrenaline, and a drop in cortisol levels. These changes make us feel good, reduce stress, and improve overall well-being.

Why is laughter contagious, and how does it work?

Laughter is contagious because it is a social signal of affiliation. Humans are the only animals where contagious laughter has been observed. It is a learned behavior that helps spread joy and strengthen social bonds within a group.

How does laughter differ in high-stress professions?

In high-stress professions, laughter often takes the form of dark humor, which serves multiple purposes: it bonds team members, helps manage stress, and excludes outsiders. This type of humor is a coping mechanism for dealing with intense and often traumatic situations.

What are the three key takeaways about laughter?

1. Laughter is never neutral; it always has meaning and can signal when something feels off. 2. Listen to your laughter to understand your social relationships and who you bond with. 3. Value laughter as a crucial part of daily life, as it strengthens social connections and reduces stress.

Chapters
Laughter is primarily a social behavior, significantly more likely to occur in company than alone. It's an expression of playful social joy, not solely amusement, and serves to reduce stress when shared.
  • Laughter is 30-330 times more likely with others than alone.
  • It's a social joy, not just amusement.
  • Laughter reduces stress when shared.

Shownotes Transcript

Laughter, it turns out, is not primarily a response to humor. Neuroscientist Sophie Scott CBE shares why we laugh, how it works and the many sins it covers. We explore how laughter bonds us, where it breaks us, and the ways we use it. We should all bring a greater sense of understanding and intention to our laughter. Sophie Scott is a neuroscientist and professor at UCL whose research focuses on the science of laughter.