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The Conversation USA

The Conversation USA

Laughter can communicate a lot more than good humor – people use it to smooth social interactions

  • Written by Adrienne Wood, Assistant Professor of Psychology, University of Virginia
imageA well-deployed laugh can help grease a social interaction, even if nothing is funny.Catherine Falls Commercial/Moment via Getty Images

Laughter is an everyday reminder that we humans are animals. In fact, when recorded laughter is slowed down, listeners can’t tell whether the sound is from a person or an animal.

We throw our heads back and...

Read more: Laughter can communicate a lot more than good humor – people use it to smooth social interactions

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