Why do we have a sense of humor - to have fun or to overcome disease? Both. We will tell you what laughter affects, how to define your gum-type and what to do if there is no sense of humor.
What is a sense of humor
Sense of humor is a psychological peculiarity of a person, which allows to evaluate what is happening from a comic point of view.
In fact, we are all born with this skill, but it develops in everyone in different ways, influenced by the environment, temperament, character and other factors.
If during the development of a sense of humor difficulties (stress, psychological trauma, social isolation) arose, a straightforward personality type is formed. It is hard for such people to adapt in society.
Why do you need a sense of humor
The nature of a sense of humor has been researched by many scientists in various branches of science for hundreds of years. As a result, several of its functions have been established:
Psychological protection
Laughter helps to survive a difficult situation, emotional shock. A humorous look at what is happening activates the emergence of new neural connections in the brain. This happens through an unusual connection of thoughts, that is, comic perception. The unpredictable comparison is the essence of this function.
Jokes of doctors, military or rescue workers are sometimes perceived by civilians as unthinkable rudeness. Their black humor has an excuse - the defense mechanism works, so consciousness is abstracted from daily encounter with death.
We resort to psychological protection through laughter when we touch on taboo topics. That is, retiring from a direct answer, we begin to joke.
Gender function
Psychologists have proven that women prefer men with a developed ability to joke. In this way, the stronger sex attracts attention to itself, gives a positive mood, as if it assures: "I adapt in any situation, trust me."
Men choose those who answer their jokes with laughter, understand their meaning, are ready to play along. So there is a qualitative selection of people who are on the same wavelength, both in psychological interaction and in intimate life.
Statistics show that the strongest relationships among those who laugh at some jokes.
Cognitive function
Comic perception is a way to understand the world, to form an idea about it. Humor allows you to see the reality of the objective, and not the same as others show it to us. Behind the cognitive function is a deep rethinking of phenomena and events, the formation of their own conclusions.
Entertainment function
Mood improves, positive emotions are manifested. The statistics asserts, what exactly on a comedy buy up a greater quantity of tickets at movie theaters. The same applies to comic shows - their ratings on TV are always the highest. This is due to the fact that the charter on the robot or from household chores, we want to relax, "turn off" the brain. Having fun with humor is the easiest and most effective way (after sleep, of course) to recuperate and recharge with positive emotions.
Educational function
Comedy works are the basis of moral development.
With their help, we have been raising children and adults for many years in a row. Psycholinguists and educators agree that ridicule works much more efficiently than “moral reading”.
Such a literary genre as a bike is built entirely on the means of the comic - allegory, irony, sarcasm. To understand the moral, you need to have a subtle sense of humor. Then the educational function is realized.
Interesting Facts
- According to statistics, a five-year-old child laughs more than three hundred times a day, while an adult is about twenty.
- For people who are going to watch a comedy movie, the amount of growth hormone and beta endorphin is three times higher than those who picked up a political newspaper or turned on the news on TV.
- A doctor at the School of Medicine at the University of Rochester has identified a brain zone that is responsible for a sense of humor. According to researcher Dina Shibaty, this place is located in the lower part of the frontal lobe. That is why, after micro-strokes concentrated in this part of the head, the understanding of jokes sometimes completely disappears.
- Fans laugh laugh younger, because when you smile, about 15 facial muscles are involved, blood flow occurs.
- Laughter strengthens the immune system. This conclusion was made by scientists who managed to investigate changes in the saliva of laughing patients. As it turned out, after laughter, saliva has ten times more protective bacteria than in the calm state of a person.
- Smiles anesthetize. It is proved that after sincere smirks the pain threshold rises.
Different types of sense of humor
Psychologists Patricia Doris and Rod Martin, after conducting a series of studies, came to the conclusion that there are four types of characters.
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- The man is joking about himself.
- The comments are good-natured, companionable.
- Uses different station intonations and non-verbal means of communication (facial expressions, gestures).
- This type is inherent in kind and warm people who are often the soul of the company, informal leaders.
Self supporting
- Man is able to laugh at himself. Due to the developed sense of comic, it easily copes with stress.
- Self-ironic monologues, funny comments.
- This sense of humor belongs to people with high self-esteem. They try not to lose optimism in any situation, but frankly laugh out of themselves in extreme necessity.
Self-deprecating
- Humiliation of the actual "I".
- Search for reasons to laugh at yourself.
- Inherent sarcasm, can make fun of their own weaknesses. Such a person used to drive himself into the center of the joke.
- Need the approval of others. For this, he is ready to become an object of ridicule, but does not wish to correct shortcomings. Subject to stress.
- The positive side - during an unforeseen situation, takes fire on itself, in every possible way mitigates the conflict.
Aggressive
- Harsh criticism, sarcasm, ridicule.
- Caustic remarks or comments.
- Under the laughter lies anger and irritability. Offensive and indecent jokes in the direction of those present are allowed.
- This sense of humor is inherent to those who are accustomed to manipulating others, proving their perfection, hurting others, affirming at their expense.
- Injections with a joke, its author usually adds: “Well, I'm joking, you know.”
What if there is no sense of humor
When we say that there is no sense of humor, we mean that it is peculiar as, for example, an individual style.
But sometimes our ability to take jokes or joke yourself is not fully developed. Then it is desirable to slightly correct their attitude to what is happening, to develop a sense of humor.
Psychologists believe that in more than 90% of cases, the problems that concern us turn out to be insignificant. But most are engaged in self-flagellation, deciding what is not really worth a damn. From this - complexes, neurosis, depression.
Conclusion - it's time to change attitudes to life, to communicate more with pranksters, to set up correct thinking and to enjoy every day. After all, if you look closely, there are more reasons for laughter than for despondency.
We talked about what a sense of humor is and what its functions are, confirming the information with incredible research. If you possess them, then you have in your arsenal the best medicine for insults and stresses. His absence is also not a reason to get upset, because you can change your attitude towards life right now.
