Humor and Laughter in Social Interaction and some Implications for Humor Research

In modern analyses of humor and laughter, social scientists have begun to recognize the potential importance of social variables. But this recognition is by no means universal. For example, Berlyne (1972) alleged that because laughter can be generated in a solitary individual, “it seems doubtful that its prime significance is a social one” (p. 51). The view taken in this account is more in line with that of Hertzler (1970) who wrote of laughter: “[it] is a social phenomenon. It is social in its origin, in its processual occurrence, in its functions, and in its effects” (p. 28). That view borders on an extreme, but nonetheless humor’s social functions may be its most crucial for modern man. Humor can serve as a useful and convenient triggering device permitting laughter to serve a myriad of functions in a manner that is, at least physically, harmless.