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Should Psychologists Include Humor in Their Practice?

Can laughter heal? Therapy and humor can be powerful tools for healing, but they can be tricky. Learn the benefits and risks for therapists.

Can laughter heal? Therapy and humor can be powerful tools for healing, but they can be tricky. Learn the benefits and risks for therapists.

How Pragmatics Informs Humor Theory

An interview with Dr. Salvatore Attardo, an expert in both pragmatics and humor, provides key insights into how context profoundly influences our appreciation of humorous stimuli.

An interview with Dr. Salvatore Attardo, an expert in both pragmatics and humor, provides key insights into how context profoundly influences our appreciation of humorous stimuli.

Your Anticipatory Laughter: The Hilarity of Things to Come

Expressing a sense of mutual vulnerability with laughter usually follows a drop or a rise in status, but sometimes it’s done in anticipation of such a change. Why should that be?

Expressing a sense of mutual vulnerability with laughter usually follows a drop or a rise in status, but sometimes it’s done in anticipation of such a change. Why should that be?

Don't Laugh at Me; Laugh With Me

Create a home culture where everyone is in on the joke, and everyone is elevated with kind humor. Humor can be incredibly healing, or it can be harmful.

Create a home culture where everyone is in on the joke, and everyone is elevated with kind humor. Humor can be incredibly healing, or it can be harmful.

Why Ironic Situations Can Be So Amusing

The notion of irony is often linked to both laughter and humor. What is it about being ironic, or having a plan fall short in a spectacular way, that so often cultivates giddiness?

The notion of irony is often linked to both laughter and humor. What is it about being ironic, or having a plan fall short in a spectacular way, that so often cultivates giddiness?

An Anecdote for Alzheimer’s and Depression

For me, laughter has made all the difference in lifting my faith and hope while the brightest minds in the world are racing for a cure for Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia.

For me, laughter has made all the difference in lifting my faith and hope while the brightest minds in the world are racing for a cure for Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia.

The Relationship Between Laughter and Luck

Laughter is a normal reaction to modest failings and unanticipated wins, but what about the outcomes of blind chance? One theory reveals why they, too, can inspire its expression.

Laughter is a normal reaction to modest failings and unanticipated wins, but what about the outcomes of blind chance? One theory reveals why they, too, can inspire its expression.

The Benefits of Humor in Therapy

Humor is an underappreciated element in psychotherapy—one that can reduce anxiety, increase perspective, and strengthen the psychotherapeutic relationship.

Humor is an underappreciated element in psychotherapy—one that can reduce anxiety, increase perspective, and strengthen the psychotherapeutic relationship.

The Humor that Leaves a Great Impression

Doing impressions is a common technique for inspiring feelings of amusement. Comedians impersonate familiar, everyday individuals, as well as famous ones. Here‘s why it works.

Doing impressions is a common technique for inspiring feelings of amusement. Comedians impersonate familiar, everyday individuals, as well as famous ones. Here‘s why it works.

Look Who’s Laughing: Are There Differences in Men and Women?

Some feel that the purpose of laughter is to strengthen human bonds. Men and women both laugh but they differ in engendering and responding to laughter.

Some feel that the purpose of laughter is to strengthen human bonds. Men and women both laugh but they differ in engendering and responding to laughter.

Reconciling a New Theory of Laughter With Its Predecessors

New theories of laughter should account for what earlier explanations got right as well as wrong. Mutual Vulnerability Theory integrates well with Superiority and Play theories.

New theories of laughter should account for what earlier explanations got right as well as wrong. Mutual Vulnerability Theory integrates well with Superiority and Play theories.

Can We Compare New and Old Theories of Laughter?

New theories of laughter must account for what earlier explanations got right and wrong. The Mutual Vulnerability Theory meshes well with Incongruity and Tension Relief theories.

New theories of laughter must account for what earlier explanations got right and wrong. The Mutual Vulnerability Theory meshes well with Incongruity and Tension Relief theories.

When You Misinterpret the Laughter of Others

We’ve long known that laughter has a dual nature, often sympathetic but sometimes sardonic. A new theory explains why it’s easy to misidentify which motivation is being expressed.

We’ve long known that laughter has a dual nature, often sympathetic but sometimes sardonic. A new theory explains why it’s easy to misidentify which motivation is being expressed.

The Enduring Link Between Laughter and Play

Humans use laughter more frequently than any of the Great Apes. The reason likely relates to its close association with play.

Humans use laughter more frequently than any of the Great Apes. The reason likely relates to its close association with play.

The Amazing Evolution of Amusement

The common ancestor of modern apes and humans likely had a toddler’s sense of humor. As the social lives of our evolutionary lineage became more intricate, we needed laughter more.

The common ancestor of modern apes and humans likely had a toddler’s sense of humor. As the social lives of our evolutionary lineage became more intricate, we needed laughter more.

Experiencing Your Multiple Domains of Joy

Joy from our feelings, our social environments, our reflections and our senses are always present and available if we allow it to flourish.

Joy from our feelings, our social environments, our reflections and our senses are always present and available if we allow it to flourish.

Exploring Great Ape Games

Captive modern apes have displayed humor and game-playing comparable to human toddlers. This suggests that humor has a long evolutionary history.

Captive modern apes have displayed humor and game-playing comparable to human toddlers. This suggests that humor has a long evolutionary history.

The Gift of Laughing at Your Mistakes

We can laugh at ourselves when we blow our diet or exercise plan. This opens the door for us to change our approach the next time.

We can laugh at ourselves when we blow our diet or exercise plan. This opens the door for us to change our approach the next time.

How to Live Life Above the Line of Just Surviving

Survival instinct keeps us alive but limits our experience of joy and happiness. It keeps us dwelling in the bottom half of life. It's time to live above the line.

Survival instinct keeps us alive but limits our experience of joy and happiness. It keeps us dwelling in the bottom half of life. It's time to live above the line.

The Origins of Humor

It is thought laughter had its origins in the common ancestor of apes and humans 14 to 18 million years ago. It seems probable that humor was “invented” around the same time.

It is thought laughter had its origins in the common ancestor of apes and humans 14 to 18 million years ago. It seems probable that humor was “invented” around the same time.

11 Magnetic Traits That Lead to Longer Relationships

Why do some people tend to have longer relationships than other people? These magnetic traits could give them an advantage.

Why do some people tend to have longer relationships than other people? These magnetic traits could give them an advantage.

From Mind to Body: Type 2 Diabetes and the Power of Laughter

The role of mental states in the development and treatment of physical diseases is often overlooked. However, laughter may improve diabetes and blood sugar control.

The role of mental states in the development and treatment of physical diseases is often overlooked. However, laughter may improve diabetes and blood sugar control.

Why Laughter Evolved as an Audible Expression

Great apes’ common ancestor could have used facial or gestural expressions to express amusement, so why did laughter evolve as a vocal signal? Play may be the key.

Great apes’ common ancestor could have used facial or gestural expressions to express amusement, so why did laughter evolve as a vocal signal? Play may be the key.

When Apes Laugh, They Offer a Window Into Human Evolution

Gorillas and orangutans will laugh during playful wrestling and tickling bouts, with many orphaned young reacting to a caretaker’s mock aggression just as human children would.

Gorillas and orangutans will laugh during playful wrestling and tickling bouts, with many orphaned young reacting to a caretaker’s mock aggression just as human children would.

3 Behaviors That Form Relationships

Why do we click with some people and not others? Why do some social interactions turn into friendships and romantic relationships, and others do not?

Why do we click with some people and not others? Why do some social interactions turn into friendships and romantic relationships, and others do not?

The Hidden Link Connecting Human and Chimpanzee Laughter

Naturalists have long recognized that great apes use laughter-like vocalizations during play. Is there an evolutionary link between their laughter and ours?

Naturalists have long recognized that great apes use laughter-like vocalizations during play. Is there an evolutionary link between their laughter and ours?

Smiles and Laughter: Take Care How You Interpret Them

Getting the last laugh is justified when others have hurt you, but it can be just as competitive, antagonistic, and cutthroat as those who made fun of you earlier.

Getting the last laugh is justified when others have hurt you, but it can be just as competitive, antagonistic, and cutthroat as those who made fun of you earlier.