Laughter Research

Aug 31 2023 21 ep. 31 mins 198
Laughter Research Podcast artwork

The Laughter Research Project is a show in which I explore the phenomenon of laughter. From the fascinating science of laughter research, to the joys of laughing until you cry. My guests vary from academics, such as psychologists and sociologists, to entrepreneurs and comedians. In each episode, with the help of my guests, I explore the role which laughter plays in our daily lives and I examine the truths and the myths around laughter. Is laughter purely a physiological response, or is it a social and culturally mediated means of communication?

  Education  Science
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Workplace Bullying and Laughter (Paper Review)

Aug 31 2023 31 mins  

Solidarity & Status (Paper Review)

Aug 25 2023 33 mins  
This episode is a review of a research paper by Angus James McLachlan of the Federation University, Australia. The basis of the research explored in today's episode was to examine how laughter is used by people as a marker in conversation to show that the meaning of the words aren’t meant to be serious in the context that they’re spoken (when accompanied by laughter) and also h

Laughing at 'unfunny'

Jul 29 2021 27 mins  
Why is it that we laugh at stuff that's not 'funny', like walking straight into a pole? What kind of person does it make us if we laugh at someone else walking into a pole, but it's not funny when we do it? In this episode I explore how laughter is but one of a variety of tools that we use in our everyday lives to help us to cope with the unexpected - like watching our friends get

Laughter Research Trailer

Jun 25 2021 2 mins  
Who is the Laughter Research podcast for? Maybe you're a performer and you want to understand more about why people laugh, or maybe you're a school teacher and you're wondering how laughter might benefit your students. You may be working in a dangerous or stressful environment and you're wondering if laughter can help you to buffer some of that stress. Perhaps, in a more general s

Living Life with Laughter

Jun 21 2021 17 mins  
What is the purpose of laughter? Is it simply a physiological response to humour? If so, why do people find themselves laughing at extremely 'unfunny' moments, such as when they find themselves involved in a car crash, or when watching a distressing video? In this episode, I introduce the idea that laughter is more than an expression of humour appreciation and it is more likely to

Laughter & Resilience

Jun 09 2021 14 mins  
Since the last episode (It's been a while), I've done the research on the ways in which people use laughter to help them get through the trials and tribulations of life and I earned a PhD for my troubles. I've also lived through a number of life changing challenges, including breaking my spine, and laughter has served me well. Now it's time to put these lessons into the magical f

The Laughing Baby Study

Sep 30 2016 44 mins  
Today's podcast - released on none other than International Podcast Day...yes, it's a thing...is a follow up interview with Evan Jordan of Oklahoma State University. If you are a new listener to the Laughter Research Podcast, you might like to check out the previous interview HERE. Evan has been the lead investigator on a study which has been examining various aspects of infant dev

From Near Death to Laughter

Sep 15 2016 60 mins  
My guest in podcast episode #15 is Merv Neal. Merv has a lengthy background in business, but a life threatening challenge to his health instigated a transformation in his approach to life. His goals switched from making money to improving the health of others and himself through the use of laughter. In this episode we explore Merv’s journey from Merv the businessman to Merv the

Contagious Babies

Apr 23 2015 33 mins  
Today I speak with Evan Jordan of Oklahoma State University in the U.S. about her research in to the contagiousness of positive emotions in infants, through the use of infant laughter as a stimulus. If you would like to hear about how psychologists get babies to laugh and why it is that they want them to laugh, then you'll find this episode to be fascinating. Enjoy, Glen.

Neuroscience of Laughter

Apr 02 2015 35 mins  
Professor Sophie Scott is the deputy director for the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience in UCL (University College London). While the main focus of her research is the neurobiology of speech perception, her work also includes the study of the neuroscience of laughter. She also dabbles in stand-up comedy. Sophie believes that laughter is one of the most complex and nuanced things