Happy Laughter Turns Out To Be Contagious, How Can It Be? This Is The Reason

Illustration of why laughter is contagious (Unsplash/Antonino Vasalli)

YOGYAKARTA – Many studies explore everyday aspects related to happiness. Including laughter, which according to researchers from Finland and the UK, can trigger the release of endorphins and play a role in building social bonds.

Professor Lauri Nummenmaa from the University of Turku in Finland, reported by Medical News Today, Wednesday, March 30, said that the release of endorphins from social laughter is a pathway that supports the formation, strengthening, and maintenance of social bonds between humans.

The results of the Nummenmaa study, published in The Journal of Neuroscience, show that the release of endorphins has a pleasant and calming effect. It may also signify security and increase feelings of togetherness. Professor Robin Dunbar from the University of Oxford in the UK added that verbal communication is important in building social bonds.

Although social contact takes time, social laughter leads to endorphin-like chemical responses in the brain that allow for the expansion of social networks. From these findings, Dunbar underlined that laughter is highly contagious and the endorphin response can easily spread through large groups laughing together.

Illustration of why laughter is contagious (Unsplash/iStockphoto)

Laughter is a primitive thing. But all humans have it and can develop it in response to stimuli. Like when you're in a group of friends, one person tells a funny story while laughing. Although it takes time to process the story and is related to a measure of closeness, happy laughter can break out and be contagious within the group.

Humans, as social 'animals', according to one theory suggest that laughter accompanied by verbal speech can help to build attachment. Instead of having to be physically, within earshot of one person can make others laugh. This bond can also be established remotely. Even with more people.

A study conducted by Elise Wattendorf, et al. published in the journal Cerebral Cortex in 2013 used MRI scans to investigate which parts of the brain were working. Participants in the study were divided into 3 groups. First, being tickled on the soles of the feet may respond with laughter. Second, being tickled but asked to hold back their laughter, and the third group being asked to laugh voluntarily without being tickled.

When laughing four parts of the brain are working, the lateral hypothalamus is involved in reducing pain perception, digestive function, and blood pressure; parietal operculum which is responsible for processing the senses of touch and temperature; the amygdala is involved in memory processing, decision making, and emotional reactions; the right cerebellum is concerned with attention to language, visuals, and imagining the state of others.

Through these studies, it can be concluded that laughter can be medicine. In the field of psychoneuroimmunology, laughter has a therapeutic effect. A study published in Heart & Lung investigated the benefits of laughter for individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Laughter and humor among patients are associated with positive psychological functioning as well as improvement in quality of life. But laughing out loud for these patients causes acute damage to lung function secondary to worsening hyperinflation.

Another study examined patients with problems with blood vessels, heart, and depression. The results of the three studies show the positive benefits of laughing because it is funny and triggers feelings of happiness.