Part 1
The psychology and science of humor

Why do we laugh?
• Laughter is mostly an unconscious response to social/physical/linguistic cues.
• Laughter is contagious.
•
Aristotle and Plato believed in the “superiority theory,” which says we laugh at the misfortune of others. Jokes have a victim(s).

Immanuel Kant: humor occurs at the moment you realize there is an incongruity between your expectations and payoff.
“Don’t try this at home kids. Try it at school.”
Sigmund Freud: Claimed humor was a way to release pent-up thoughts and emotions
(that you held about your parents).
A release from tension. Joke telling.

Laughter is primarily a social vocalization that binds people together.
Types of laughter (Vanderbilt University):
• Women: 50% Sing-song (voiced); 25% Grunt
(exhaling through mouth); 25% Snort (exhaling through nose).
• Men: 33% Sing-song; 33% Grunt and scratch a body part; 33% Snort and scratch a body part.

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Both sexes laugh, however females tend to laugh more.
• 126 more than male counterparts
•
Men are more “Go get the laughs”.
We begin laughing at about age 4 months.
• Children laugh more than adults.
• The older we are the less we laugh.

Aids in digestion, increases endorphins, dopamine, helps bolster immunity to sickness, and aids breathing and circulation.
Restores or establishes a positive emotional climate and a sense of connection between people/teams.

Pain reduction. Rosemary Cogan, Ph.D.,
Texas Tech University Lily Tomlin Video
Study.
• Subjects who laughed tolerated more discomfort than other subjects. It helped temper intense pain.
James Rotton, Ph.D., of Florida International
University, reported that orthopedic surgery patients who watched comedic videos requested fewer aspirin and tranquilizers.

Color your world yellow .
Auditory reminders. Smart phones.
Kinesthetic reminders. Mr. Bill.
Visual reminders.
• Colorful pics that make you smile.
• Tie in core values with happy pics.
Auditory reminders.
Kinesthetic reminders.

Television: Andy Griffin Show, Sponge Bob
Square Pants, Ellen, and Seinfeld.
Standup: Richard Pryor, Bryan Reagan, Bill
Hicks, Christopher Titus, and Mitch Hedberg.
Improv/Creative: Second City, Blue Man
Group, Midwest Tool and Die.
Storytelling: Bill Cosby, Waddie Mitchell, and
David Holt.

www.storytellingcenter.net/festival/
Movies: Elf, Superbad, Monty Python and the Holy Grail.
Music - Loudon Wainwright III, Frank
Zappa, Ray Stevens, John Prine, Steve
Goodman, and Cuz.
Radio - Rick and Bubba Show, Siriusxm.
Print - Lewis Gizzard, Dave Barry, Woody
Allen. Favorite Bloggers?

• Treat yourself...then your team like a houseplant.
• How often are you watering yourself with humor?
•
Don’t wait until you’re drooping to water yourself.
•
What types of “fertilizer” are you using?
• What type of fertilizers will you try in the future?
•
Schedule “watering” breaks in your calendar.

Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy
• Event
• Interpretation
• Feelings
• Action
• Dr. Albert Ellis

• What are you going to be? Note it.
• What are you going to know? Note it.
• What are you going to do? Note it.
• One day Be....one day Know....one day do.... www.timsteed.com