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Summary: The Social Power Of Humor

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Lundberg states that positive humor is nurturing and makes everyone feel good. According to Goodman (1992), "Laughing with others builds confidence, brings people together, and pokes fun at our common dilemmas. Humor is laughter made from pain, not pain inflicted by laughter."
In a study conducted by Keltner and Bonanno (1997), it was asserted that bereaved persons when engage in humor become more involved in their ongoing experiences and less dedicated to reminiscence and involvement with their past. This involvement enhances the likelihood that they will engage in their social groups once again, and will protect them from the negative experiences of their stressful lives. Lefcourt (2001) opinionated that humor is a quality that enhances …show more content…

humor and laughter signal empathy and a readiness to cooperate (Jung, 2003)
f. humor is a form of group-selected honest signalling that coordinates the emotions and actions of group members (Gervais & Wilson, 2005)
g. humor may have partly evolved as an indicator of intelligence for potential mates (Greengross & Miller, 2011).
The social power of humor is as follows (Helpguide.org, 2016):
a. Form a stronger bond with other people – An individual’s health and happiness depend, to a large degree, on the quality of his relationships with together people. Humor and laughter binds people together
b. Smooth over differences – Humor can be used as a way in which one can gently discuss various issues, especially the most sensitive ones.
c. Diffuse tension - A well-timed joke can ease a tense situation and help resolve disagreements.
d. Overcome problems and setbacks - A sense of humor is the key to resilience. It helps a person to deal with various setbacks, hardships, troublesome situations of life tactfully.
e. Put things into perspective – Perceiving problematic things and situations from a humorous point of view can make one perceive that situation from a positive bent of mind. Humor can help reframe problems that might otherwise seem overwhelming and

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