04 Sep Sharing Laughter May Be Key To A Long-Lasting Relationship
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Jeffrey A. Hall PhD
Associate professor of communication studies
University of Kansas
Medical Research: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?
Dr. Hall: Men might want to ditch the pickup lines and polish their punchlines in their quest to attract women, new research at the University of Kansas suggests.
Jeffrey Hall, an associate professor of communication studies, found that when two strangers meet, the more times a man tries to be funny and the more a woman laughs at those attempts, the more likely it is for the woman to be interested in dating. However an even better indicator of romantic connection is if the two are spotted laughing together.
Those findings were among the discoveries Hall made in his search for a link between humor and intelligence. For the past decade, research has debated whether women appreciate men’s humor, which is often cited as one of the most valued traits in a partner, because it allows them to suss out the smarts of potential mates. But Hall said finding someone who appreciates your sense of humor is valuable in its own right.
“The idea that humor is a signal of intelligence doesn’t give humor its due credit,” Hall said. “If you meet someone who you can laugh with, it might mean your future relationship is going to be fun and filled with good cheer.”
In the first study, 35 participants studied the Facebook profile pages of a 100 strangers to gauge their personalities. Their evaluations were compared to a survey completed by the Facebook users. Hall found humorous people were much more likely to be extroverted than intelligent, and were seen by strangers that way too. The data also suggested that men and women posted similar amounts of humorous content to their pages.
In the second study, nearly 300 students filled out a survey on humor in courtship. Looking at GPA and ACT scores, the study found that there was no connection between how smart the person was and how funny he or she claimed to be. But it did find a relationship with humor and extroversion. The study also didn’t find a difference in how men and women comprehended or appreciated humor.
To find out how humor used by men and appreciated by women played a role in romantic attraction, the final study brought together 51 pairs of single, heterosexual college students who didn’t know each other. The pairs sat alone in a room and talked for about 10 minutes. Afterward they filled out a survey.
The results didn’t indicate that one sex tried to be funnier than the other. However, it did suggest the more times a man tried to be funny and the more times a woman laughed at his jokes, the more likely she was romantically interested. The reverse was not true for women who attempted humor.
It also showed that when the pair laughed together, they were more interested in each other.
Medical Research: What should clinicians and patients take away from your report?
Dr. Hall: Humor points to having a sociable and agreeable personality. “Part of what it means to be social is the ability to joke along with people,” Hall said.
Humor is valuable for humor sake. “Shared laughter might be a pathway toward developing a more long-lasting relationship,” Hall said.
Medical Research: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this study?
Dr. Hall: Recognizing the value of shared laughter and a shared sense of humor for romantic couples would be a valuable direction for future research on both new and long-term relationships.
Citation:
Sexual Selection and Humor in Courtship: A Case for Warmth and Extroversion.
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Jeffrey A. Hall PhD (2015). Sharing Laughter May Be Key To A Long-Lasting Relationship
Last Updated on September 4, 2015 by Marie Benz MD FAAD