Eight Days of Laughter - Day 8
- David Dendy
- Feb 19, 2020
- 3 min read
Eight Days of Laughter - Day 8Reason to Laugh #8...LAUGHTER IS CONTAGIOUSOne of the few good bugs to catch & pass on!It is amazing to me how fast viruses spread.Case in point, the Coronavirus has gripped the world in fear due to its infecting thousands of people. (And rightfully so!!)All sorts of precautions are being taken to contain the virus and yet more and more people are being infected on a daily basis.The goal is to "contain" the Coronavirus. Eradication would be nice! But, that seems a ways off.I am no scientist but to "contain" and "eradicate" seems an almost impossible job.Can you imagine trying to "contain" and "eradicate" laughter.As we have mentioned before, laughter is best when enjoyed in a communal setting.Laughing with others is one of life's best joys.What is it about laughter that spreads so easily and rapidly?It is rare we "ROFL" (Roll On Floor Laughing) by ourselves.Yet, get us with our group of friends or certain family members, move the furniture aside because we are going to end up on the floor!Yes, we can observe that laughter is contagious, but the question remains, "Why?"Check out this fascinating article by Andrea Thompson titled:Study: Laughter Really is ContagiousIf you see two people laughing at a joke you didn't hear, chances are you will smile anyway--even if you don't realize it.According to a new study, laughter truly is contagious: the brain responds to the sound of laughter and preps the muscles in the face to join in the mirth.
"It seems that it's absolutely true that 'laugh and the whole world laughs with you," said Sophie Scott, a neuroscientist at the University College London. "We've known for some time that when we are talking to someone, we often mirror their behavior, copying the words they use and mimicking their gestures. Now we've shown that the same appears to apply to laughter, too--at least at the level of the brain."
The positive approach
Scott and her fellow researchers played a series of sounds to volunteers and measured the responses in their brain with a Functional MRI scanner. Some sounds, like laughter or a triumphant shout, were positive, while others, like screaming or retching, were negative.
All of the sounds triggered responses in the pre-motor cortical region of the brain, which prepares the muscles in the face to move in a way that corresponds to the sound.
The response was much higher for positive sounds, suggesting they are more contagious than negative sounds--which could explain our involuntary smiles when we see people laughing.
The team also tested the movement of facial muscles when the sounds were played and found that people tended to smile when they heard laughter, but didn't make a gagging face when they heard retching sounds, Scott told LiveScience. She attributes this response to the desire to avoid negative emotions and sounds.
Older than language?
The contagiousness of positive emotions could be an important social factor, according to Scott. Some scientists think human ancestors may have laughed in groups before they could speak and that laughter may have been a precursor to language.
"We usually encounter positive emotions, such as laughter or cheering, in group situations, whether watching a comedy program with family or a football game with friends," Scott said. "This response in the brain, automatically priming us to smile or laugh, provides a way or mirroring the behavior of others, something which helps us interact socially. It could play an important role in building strong bonds between individuals in a group."
How about that?
The brain loves to "mirror" the behavior it views.
Since that's the case...
Let the infectious "virus" of LAUGHTER spread like wildfire!
Your world and the world around you will be forever changed for the better!
This video had me in tears as my brain started "mirroring" the sounds of laughter found therein...
Thank you for taking time out over the last eight days to learn more about the wonders of LAUGHTER!!
Keep spreading the Laughter...
Laugh often and Fear not!
David!
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