Discover Why Your Laughter Sounds Differently In Different Crowds
You may need a different attire for each occasion and event. But did you know that you have a type of laugh for each social situation? A recent study claims that you may have different laughter for various friends and acquaintances.
This piece explores the findings of a study on the similarities and differences between romantic and friendly laughter.
Some studies suggest that your laughter may change based on factors like the venue and the person you are laughing with. A paper published in the Journal of Nonverbal Behavior claims that laughter sounds different with friends or relatives.
The article by Susan M. Hughes, Deborah Carson, and Sally D. Farley explains that laughter is a relationship maintenance strategy while communicating affiliation. The authors discuss the role of laughter in social bonding and developing deeper relationships among humans.
Most healthy babies are born with the capability to laugh, but each learns to laugh differently based on intrinsic and extrinsic factors. The researchers conducted a series of three studies analyzing the behavior of participants when talking to romantic partners and friends.
The participants were asked to call their same-sex friends and romantic partners. They were later asked to listen to themselves laughing on the phone and differentiate between laughter intended for their friends and romantic partners.
The participants showed some proficiency in distinguishing the laughter in each case, describing laughter with romantic partners as less pleasant than that directed at friends. Differences were mainly attributed to the heightening of emotions between romantic partners.
The paper suggests that romantic laughter may sound tenser and more forced than friendship laughter, that’s less vulnerable to emotional instability and craving for romantic love. The authors argue that friendship laughter is more spontaneous and authentic than romantic laughter despite the high affection rates among friends and romantic partners.