DeGowin's Diagnostic Examination, 7th Edition

instruments, huge statistical samples, and years of training, Provine's investigation seems almost naively simplistic. Much of his data come from simple surveys conducted of his students (how many times have you been tickled in the last month?), qualitative observations of people's chuckles, and recordings taken in shopping malls of people laughing. His discovery that contralateral self-tickling (tickling the left side of your body with your right hand) is easier to do than ipsilateral (sameside) self-tickling was made while stroking his foot in the shower and confirmed by asking his students to do the same, and his discovery about the evolutionary origins of human speech were made while trying to tickle chimpanzees. Indeed it often feels like Provine's research lacks the sort of rigor required to qualify as good science. (Isn't it possible that contralateral self-tickling is easier simply because your fingers can a better angle that way? Provine doesn't even consider the possibility.) But then, Provine believes that "good science is simplification." Of course, rigor doesn't preclude simplicity. And given his complaints that the subject of laughter is taken too lightly by the scientific community, it seems like rigor might be just what the laughologist calls for. But despite its fluffiness, Provine's research is appealing to read about because even though it feels like the type of science anyone can do, he manages to reach some truly fascinating, and sometimes surprising, conclusions.