Relations between tickling and humorous laughter: Preliminary support for the Darwin-Hecker hypothesis

Alan J. Fridlund; Jennifer M. Loftis

doi:10.1016/0301-0511(90)90023-P

Relations between tickling and humorous laughter: Preliminary support for the Darwin-Hecker hypothesis

Alan J. Fridlund, Jennifer M. Loftis

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

34 Scopus citations

Abstract

Following hypotheses by Darwin and Hecker on the connection between tickling and humorous laughter, questionnaire data were collected from 100 college students regarding their reported ticklishness and tendencies to laugh and show responses ancillary to laughter. Ticklishness was related to propensities to: (a) giggle, (b) laugh, (c) smile, (d) piloerect, (e) blush, and (f) cry. These findings lend preliminary support for the Darwin-Hecker conjecture that reflexes underlying ticklishness mediate humor. We speculate on possible relations among tickling and humor, and reasons why people laugh and smile when they find things funny.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	141-150
Number of pages	10
Journal	Biological Psychology
Volume	30
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/0301-0511(90)90023-P
State	Published - Apr 1990
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

Blushing
comedy
crying
facial expression
humor
laughter
piloerection
smile
tactile sensation
tickling

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Neuroscience(all)
Neuropsychology and Physiological Psychology

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10.1016/0301-0511(90)90023-P

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title = "Relations between tickling and humorous laughter: Preliminary support for the Darwin-Hecker hypothesis",

abstract = "Following hypotheses by Darwin and Hecker on the connection between tickling and humorous laughter, questionnaire data were collected from 100 college students regarding their reported ticklishness and tendencies to laugh and show responses ancillary to laughter. Ticklishness was related to propensities to: (a) giggle, (b) laugh, (c) smile, (d) piloerect, (e) blush, and (f) cry. These findings lend preliminary support for the Darwin-Hecker conjecture that reflexes underlying ticklishness mediate humor. We speculate on possible relations among tickling and humor, and reasons why people laugh and smile when they find things funny.",

keywords = "Blushing, comedy, crying, facial expression, humor, laughter, piloerection, smile, tactile sensation, tickling",

author = "Fridlund, {Alan J.} and Loftis, {Jennifer M.}",

note = "Funding Information: * This research was supported in part by a University of California grant to A.J. Fridlund. We thank Amy K. Jaffey, Avery N. Gilbert, Michael Platow, Paul Rozin, and John P. Sabini for their valuable suggestions. * * Address requests for reprints to Alan J. Fridlund, Department of Psychology, University of California, Santa Barbara CA 93106, U.S.A. Editor{\textquoteright}s Note; This article fits well with the Journal{\textquoteright}s renewed interest in biologically based explanations of human behavior. No physiological measures are reported, but self report data are related to biologically based theories. Further, the hypothesis developed in this initial report can be readily tested using objective observational and physiological measures.",

year = "1990",

month = apr,

doi = "10.1016/0301-0511(90)90023-P",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "30",

pages = "141--150",

journal = "Biological Psychology",

issn = "0301-0511",

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number = "2",

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T2 - Preliminary support for the Darwin-Hecker hypothesis

AU - Fridlund, Alan J.

AU - Loftis, Jennifer M.

N1 - Funding Information: * This research was supported in part by a University of California grant to A.J. Fridlund. We thank Amy K. Jaffey, Avery N. Gilbert, Michael Platow, Paul Rozin, and John P. Sabini for their valuable suggestions. * * Address requests for reprints to Alan J. Fridlund, Department of Psychology, University of California, Santa Barbara CA 93106, U.S.A. Editor’s Note; This article fits well with the Journal’s renewed interest in biologically based explanations of human behavior. No physiological measures are reported, but self report data are related to biologically based theories. Further, the hypothesis developed in this initial report can be readily tested using objective observational and physiological measures.

PY - 1990/4

Y1 - 1990/4

N2 - Following hypotheses by Darwin and Hecker on the connection between tickling and humorous laughter, questionnaire data were collected from 100 college students regarding their reported ticklishness and tendencies to laugh and show responses ancillary to laughter. Ticklishness was related to propensities to: (a) giggle, (b) laugh, (c) smile, (d) piloerect, (e) blush, and (f) cry. These findings lend preliminary support for the Darwin-Hecker conjecture that reflexes underlying ticklishness mediate humor. We speculate on possible relations among tickling and humor, and reasons why people laugh and smile when they find things funny.

AB - Following hypotheses by Darwin and Hecker on the connection between tickling and humorous laughter, questionnaire data were collected from 100 college students regarding their reported ticklishness and tendencies to laugh and show responses ancillary to laughter. Ticklishness was related to propensities to: (a) giggle, (b) laugh, (c) smile, (d) piloerect, (e) blush, and (f) cry. These findings lend preliminary support for the Darwin-Hecker conjecture that reflexes underlying ticklishness mediate humor. We speculate on possible relations among tickling and humor, and reasons why people laugh and smile when they find things funny.

KW - Blushing

KW - comedy

KW - crying

KW - facial expression

KW - humor

KW - laughter

KW - piloerection

KW - smile

KW - tactile sensation

KW - tickling

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Relations between tickling and humorous laughter: Preliminary support for the Darwin-Hecker hypothesis

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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