Psychology of laughter

Laughter is a common action in our daily lives. But to say the truth, we should not consider it as a simple, primitive response to something. According to one of the most famous philosophers Aristotle, laughter belongs to primary features’ of human being as language or thinking.Although, he claimed that it is used to humiliate somebody. But the fact that only man has such a unique gift says about its importance and extraordinary functioning. Let me emphasize that some psychologists, as M. Klein or D.W.Winnicott, say that the first infantile smile is more than impulse. Human’s child is the most helpless creature. It goes without saying, for the infant mother, or any other caring person, is as necessary as weather. Of course, child can not express his affection, thankfulness somehow differently as with smile. Child's smile, laughter shows that he can trust in his environment. It is important because it can bring him, as a separate person, confidence. According to E. Erickson, such a confidence will help to overcome crisis period and get hope for the future life. Speaking more about reasons of laughter, there are opinions that it is not inherent. Supporters of this idea claim that there is a social nature of laughter. For example, J. B. Watson emphasized that even one of the main emotions as fear can be conditioned. What is more, behaviorism points out that an important factor of learning is observation. That is why, laughter is considered as reaction to social behavior. There is no doubt that sometimes we get laughter from others. Besides, it can be as a hidden language that says more than words and shows our real emotions. Still, people are used to wear masks, that is to say, change their personas. So, laughter sometimes can be acted or express cynicism. Moreover, as I have already mentioned phenomenon of laughter is related to emotions. The question psychologists argue about what elements more influence emotions- cognitive or physiological. For example, Z. Freud would suggest that waywardness in our automatic behavior or speech appear without perception why we do so. He would disagree it could be cognitive elements that influence us before sudden laughter or smile, explaining it as an efforts of repressed unconscious impulses to arise. But opinion that physical bodily changes make us react emotionally is a bit primitive if we want to explain laughter. It is either reaction to our thoughts or environment and it can change individual’s mood, attitude. By the way, is the best remedy not only from depression but also serious physical illness. In other words, the best advice for all of us should be cognitive psychology approach: to think positively about world, consider laughter as an instrument for better health, social being and therefore to laugh all the time. In conclusion, psychology of laughter wonders not only about reasons of laughter, its nature and functions in our lives. Also, laughter is thought to be as one of the most amazing why of worldly communication, besides, it is feature that makes human beings exclusive. Hopefully, psychology would widen possibilities of applying laughter therapies.