Scientists Discovering that Laughter is Indeed Contagious

It turns out that it's true, laughter is contagious. Remember getting in trouble for laughing when you weren't supposed to (like in high school) with a laughter fit brought on solely by hearing a classmate start laughing? The fact that you didn't even know what they were laughing about didn't stop you from laughing yourself, much to the dismay of your teacher (and ultimately the vice principal). Well, if you had access to the research going on at the University College London you might have been able to avoid detention.

Their research is showing that laughter or (as they note) even a "woo hoo!" can "trigger a response in the listener's brain. This response occurs in the area of the brain that is activated when we smile, as though preparing our facial muscles to laugh." They've got the MRI's to prove it too.

"We usually encounter positive emotions, such as laughter or cheering, in group situations, whether watching a comedy programme with family or a football game with friends," says Dr Scott. "This response in the brain, automatically priming us to smile or laugh, provides a way of mirroring the behaviour of others, something which helps us interact socially. It could play an important role in building strong bonds between individuals in a group."

Implications:

Humor is the best ice breaker.
If you are caught up in a fit of laughter just remember your brain is hardwired for exactly that and give your kids a break if they can't stop laughing.
In-laws coming over for the holidays? Romantic comedies!

More at Science Daily.