13 Very Serious Facts About Humor And Laughter
![13 Very Serious Facts About Humor And Laughter](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/8/3/9/839839_320x180.jpg)
What makes comedy funny? What’s the point of humor? How can we be funnier? Why even bother? These are questions that haunt us. We at Cracked think a lot about comedy. Sometimes we think about it too much, and the whole concept is ruined for us. And we want to pass on that misery to you.
Scientists have done a surprising amount of research on comedy, and we would hate for their hard work to go unnoticed. So, here’s a collection of research findings that we found entertaining (if not very funny) about humor, playfulness, and laughter.
Our main takeaways? Humor is an essential part of humanity that positively affects our health and relationships. Humor needs to be used intentionally to be effective, but the consideration pays off in much-needed laughter. And you need to read more Cracked.com articles to have a long and high-quality life. Don’t believe us? Well, listen to the experts…
Students like when teachers tell jokes
![99% of students prefer funny instructors 01 de OA 20 DE OS de de to 30 or of de OC o -88 SO so 305 or DAE to LS par However, students disagree on what they consider humorous. If a joke doesn't land, it won't have a negative effect, but if a joke is viewed as offensive, it will have a negative effect on 40% of students' ability to pay attention. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/8/3/2/839832.jpg)
Source: PLoSONE
Stick it out if you want to laugh at them.
![As married couples age, fighting is replaced by humor According to research, couples in later stages of life show more humor and tenderness towards another than in earlier stages of their marriage. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/8/2/8/839828.jpg)
Source: Emotion
Intelligent kids can make you laugh at them
![Smart kids tell better jokes One study found that intelligence and humor was more strongly linked in children. Now we have more incentive for judging kids' knock-knock jokes. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/8/2/7/839827.jpg)
Source: Humor
Why do squats when you can do smiles?
![Laughter has similar health benefits to exercise Researchers found that 20 minutes of laughter can lower your blood pressure and alter your appetite hormones like exercise would. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/8/2/5/839825.jpg)
Source: Scientific American
Hang on with humor
![Humor helps us cope One expert says, Laughter releases dopamine, enhances immunity, lowers stress hormones, increases blood flow, and strengthens the heart. Having a good sense of humor can also make us be more optimistic, which in turns helps us handle adversity. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/7/5/1/839751.jpg)
Source: ScienceDirect
Humor: can't live without it.
![Humor is fundamental to being human Experts theorize that humor is necessary to our survival, as it's a way to recognize patterns instantly and unconsciously. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/7/4/7/839747.jpg)
Source: ScienceDaily
People love a tease
![People want to date playful people A study found that playfulness in adults is one of the most desirable traits in sexual selection. One expert theorizes that it shows low-level of aggression in men and vitality in women. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/8/3/4/839834.jpg)
Source: EurekAlert!
Humor's good for political memory
![Humor helps young people be more politically savvy Researchers found that people between 18-34 were more likely to remember and share information about politics and government policy when it was conveyed using humor. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/7/2/9/839729.jpg)
Source: Journal of Communication
Funny tweets mean political defeat
![People don't trust funny politicians When unknown political candidates used humor on on social media, researchers found people thought they were less credible than those who didn't. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/7/2/5/839725.jpg)
Source: Communication Research Reports
Being immoral can be funny
![Small moral violations can be funny LUXURIOUS Bed to be Gruesome shared with some ownc k exotic opeans People see immoral activity as funny when the siutation was hypothetical, harmless, or involved people unconnected to them. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/8/2/1/839821.jpg)
Source: Psychological Science
Laugh away your stress
![People who laugh frequently are better equipped to deal with stress Regardless of intensity of laughter, laughing everyday (and even smiling) acts as a buffer to stressful events. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/7/2/2/839722.jpg)
Source: PLoS One
You will fall for a laugh track
![Canned laughter makes a punchline funnier As much as you may hate a laugh track, researchers have found that even fake laughter added to the most groan-worthy joke will make it seem funnier. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/6/9/1/839691.jpg)
Source: Current Biology
Humor is child's play
![50% of children appreciate humor by 2-months-old By 11 months, 50% are making jokes themselves. Kids under one tend to like physical comedy while it takes a mature three-year-old appreciate the fine art of puns. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/6/9/0/839690.jpg)
Source: Behavior Research Methods