What Are The Positive Effects Of Humor?

Have you ever wondered about the positive effects of humor? When we are in a good mood, doubts and worries disappear from our minds. We are then left with a sense of genuine satisfaction. Laughter is an enigmatic gift that we are born with.

It may seem like a simple theme. However, the truth is that humor is linked to the anthropological roots of human beings and the different ways in which they are expressed.

We find humor in literature, movies, comics, jokes, cartoons, magic, and so on. To put it in the words of Sigmund Freud,  “Humor is a means of having fun despite the disturbing effects associated with it.”

humor and science

Scientific research on humor started with the development of the human sciences. Actually, Freud himself devoted a few pages to this subject in his work  Jokes and Their Relation to the Unconscious. 

However, psychologists only started studying humor 30 years ago. They examined it as a form of human behavior. Until now, this theme was considered unsound when compared to subjects such as social psychology or clinical psychology.

On the other hand, we should also note that studies, scientific studies and theories about humor are absolutely hip these days. There are even specific journals devoted to this topic, such as  Humor: International Journal of Humor Research. 

What is the reason behind this drive to study the science of humor? The answer is clear. There are many positive effects of humor. It even has the power to heal us.

What is humor?

Humor is unpredictable and surprising. According to Angel Rodriguez Idígoras, it would be an atrocity to encompass the definition of humor in just a few words. Jardiel Ponciela thinks the same. Describing humor is like trying to get through the wings of a butterfly with a telephone pole.

So what exactly is humor? Humor does not necessarily lead to laughter or smile. The positive effects of humor are not just that they make us chuckle.

In fact, humor has the ability to show us that we can look at things in very different ways. For some reason humor is able to separate the individual from his routine. After all, it encourages them to wander off and feel a little more than they are used to.

The positive effects of humor on the mind

You may not agree with us, but humor is actually an intellectual activity. A malfunction of humor can even alter people’s mental health.

In addition, good mood control can be very valuable in preventing or ameliorating certain mental disorders. Let’s take a closer look at the positive effects of humor.

Humor teaches people to be less arrogant and more humble

Gordon B. Hinckley once said,  “To be humble means to recognize that we are not on this earth to see how important we can become, but to see how much difference we can make in the lives of others.” Humor undoubtedly makes a big difference in the lives of many people today.

When you use humor, your arrogance disappears. After all, you realize that it is okay to have shortcomings. Suddenly you start to see what is happening around you instead of just focusing on yourself.

Humor helps to find solutions to everyday problems

The positive effects of humor are more striking than you may think. Have you ever noticed the power humor has to turn a bad day around? So it’s important to know how to take advantage of it. Allow humor to make you witty and spontaneous.

Once you do that, it can definitely help you solve certain problems. Through humor you can find ways that you have never thought of. When you are in a good mood, you also see everything in a different color. Suddenly you are filled with optimism and ready to take things into your own hands.

Humor makes it easier to adapt to change

It is normal to interpret a new situation as “threatening”. For that reason, we tend to feel restless when confronted with new things. Humor can help you communicate better with others.

Knowing how to use it can help you relax when you have something important (and perhaps difficult) to tell someone else. Usually, it also makes the other person more receptive.

Take advantage of humor to suggest things that others hadn’t seen before. We know that in the past, lolpants were the only people to criticize kings. Their role as comedians somehow protected them. Therefore, they were given the freedom to disagree with the orders of the palace.

These are just some of the positive effects of humor. There are undoubtedly many more. It’s up to you to discover them as you use your sense of humor properly.