Social laughter is correlated with an elevated pain threshold

Although laughter forms an important part of human non-verbal communication, it has received rather less attention than it deserves in both the experimental and the observational literatures. Relaxed social (Duchenne) laughter is associated with feelings of wellbeing and heightened affect, a proxima...

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Published in:Proceedings of the Royal Society. B, Biological sciences Biological sciences, 2012-03, Vol.279 (1731), p.1161-1167
Main Authors: Dunbar, R. I. M, Baron, Rebecca, Frangou, Anna, Pearce, Eiluned, van Leeuwen, Edwin J. C, Stow, Julie, Partridge, Giselle, MacDonald, Ian, Barra, Vincent, van Vugt, Mark
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Attachment behavior
Endorphins
Endorphins - metabolism
Experiment design
Female
Humans
Laughter
Male
Materials
nonverbal communication
Pain
Pain sensitivity
Pain Threshold
Pain Threshold - psychology
Positive Affect
Primates
Sample size
Social Behavior
Social Bonding
Social evolution
Theater
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Summary:Although laughter forms an important part of human non-verbal communication, it has received rather less attention than it deserves in both the experimental and the observational literatures. Relaxed social (Duchenne) laughter is associated with feelings of wellbeing and heightened affect, a proximate explanation for which might be the release of endorphins. We tested this hypothesis in a series of six experimental studies in both the laboratory (watching videos) and naturalistic contexts (watching stage performances), using change in pain threshold as an assay for endorphin release. The results show that pain thresholds are significantly higher after laughter than in the control condition. This pain-tolerance effect is due to laughter itself and not simply due to a change in positive affect. We suggest that laughter, through an endorphin-mediated opiate effect, may play a crucial role in social bonding.
ISSN:0962-8452
1471-2954
DOI:10.1098/rspb.2011.1373