Laughing at television more when others are in the room

[digesthisickness]

maybe it's just me, but i've noticed that i laugh out loud when watching television, etc. when someone else is in the room.

when alone, the exact same things get just a smile (and even then only sometimes) and a mental laugh. unless it's extremely funny.

any ideas on why?

[SolitaryWalker]

We all tend to laugh more in public than in private. This is because laughter in itself is inspired by an emulation of the positive emotion's of others, which then are taken to a new level. We may unconsciously emulate the positive emotions of people we see on TV, but they don't have enough immediate influence on us to raise a laugh.

[outmywindow]

Hmm, I've experienced the opposite phenomenon. Sometimes I find myself laughing harder at something when I'm by myself probably because I don't have to alter my reaction according to the reactions of those around me. For example, when watching MST3K I tend to laugh out loud a lot more when I'm by myself after having learned long ago that most people don't seem to think it as gut-butsingly hilarious as I do. It's rather awkward to laugh hard at something only to find that you're the only one who thought that 'something' was funny.

[SolitaryWalker]

Hmm, I've experienced the opposite phenomenon. Sometimes I find myself laughing harder at something when I'm by myself probably because I don't have to alter my reaction according to the reactions of those around me. For example, when watching MST3K I tend to laugh out loud a lot more when I'm by myself after having learned long ago that most people don't seem to think it as gut-butsingly hilarious as I do. It's rather awkward to laugh hard at something only to find that you're the only one who thought that 'something' was funny.

I think a lot of INTPs can relate to this experience because Feeling trails far behind thinking..First the emotions inputs into their psyche..and everybody is laughing right there..and 5 minutes later..when the INTP finally processes it..then it hits them..

[awe]

Hmm, I've experienced the opposite phenomenon. Sometimes I find myself laughing harder at something when I'm by myself probably because I don't have to alter my reaction according to the reactions of those around me. For example, when watching MST3K I tend to laugh out loud a lot more when I'm by myself after having learned long ago that most people don't seem to think it as gut-butsingly hilarious as I do. It's rather awkward to laugh hard at something only to find that you're the only one who thought that 'something' was funny.

I am the same.

I rarely raise more than a smile while in public, but laugh maniacally when home alone at 2am, while plotting my revenge upon humanity :devil:

[booyalab]

I don't notice a difference. Maybe because I don't laugh as much as other people. Sometimes I feel bad about it, even if I think something that someone has said is funny it's usually more natural for me to try to think of something sarcastic or dry in response than to laugh. This guy at work that I kind of like made a silly joke for my benefit and all i did was look at him then say "oh, *sarcastic reply*" and he said "yeah, har har...*self deprecating*" and i turned around and went back to what i was doing. Later i wished i could have given a more flattering reaction, but I'm not going to be phony either! Accordingly, I can't stand people who are an easy laugh.

[wivesandknives]

ahaha. forgive my simplified explanation but I've always thought that it's our way of drawing attention to ourselves, perhaps just to get the other person to ask "what's so funny?" if you're actually watching the show together, then it may just be a reaction to the more 'social' situation. I'm like that myself.

[digesthisickness]

I think a lot of INTPs can relate to this experience because Feeling trails far behind thinking..First the emotions inputs into their psyche..and everybody is laughing right there..and 5 minutes later..when the INTP finally processes it..then it hits them..


I am the same.

I rarely raise more than a smile while in public, but laugh maniacally when home alone at 2am, while plotting my revenge upon humanity :devil:

INterrresting...

now, do you two think that for you, the subconscious tendency to connect through laughter may have once existed but lost its power because you became aware of it when it was brought to your attention (conscious mind) and came with less than satisfactory results?

also, say you weren't watching tv, but were at a show to see a comedian, would you laugh with others then or tone it down? if you would laugh, would you laugh less if you were alone? (and of course, in this hypothetical, the comedian can't see you, so he doesn't count. no matter how much he thinks he should... the selfish bastard.)

[eyebyte_atWork]

I do that - mainly because, and I am just guessing, to help stress the funny point to others - kinda like making sure that we are all on the same page.

[digesthisickness]

I don't notice a difference. Maybe because I don't laugh as much as other people. Sometimes I feel bad about it, even if I think something that someone has said is funny it's usually more natural for me to try to think of something sarcastic or dry in response than to laugh. This guy at work that I kind of like made a silly joke for my benefit and all i did was look at him then say "oh, *sarcastic reply*" and he said "yeah, har har...*self deprecating*" and i turned around and went back to what i was doing. Later i wished i could have given a more flattering reaction, but I'm not going to be phony either! I think I'm too jaded.

you sound like a real hoot at parties.

[SolitaryWalker]

also, say you weren't watching tv, but were at a show to see a comedian, would you laugh with others then or tone it down? if you would laugh, would you laugh less if you were alone? (and of course, in this hypothetical, the comedian can't see you, so he doesn't count. no matter how much he thinks he should... the selfish bastard.)

I think I'd probably be slightly amused at the show and discharge most of the laughter long afterwards.

[Lateralus]

I guess Booya would think I laugh too much. :P

I laugh quite a bit, and it doesn't matter if I'm around people or alone. Sometimes in a group I'm the only person laughing. It doesn't bother me one bit. I find so much about life amusing, why stifle a natural reaction? I have a good laugh (or so I've been told). Maybe that's why I'm not self conscious about it? If I sounded like a monkey when I laughed, maybe I would feel differently.

[fripping]

laughter can be a social behavior (http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/12/061212213922.htm)

[digesthisickness]

laughter can be a social behavior (http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/12/061212213922.htm)

very good read, thanks. but what i was wondering about is why i laugh much more when others are around than i do alone. it's not a conscious thing. it captures my curiosity because it's as if my mind knows (even according to that article) that it's not as productive (not serving of a purpose) if i'm alone.

on another note, you usually make me laugh, but you didn't this time.

how fitting.

[LongSilence]

Some of its because its that little bit more satisfying when we laugh with other people [hence laugh tracks]. Some of it is because the very presence of other people excites a certain latent sympathy in most people and when other people are around we want to laugh at people who are trying to be funny, simply for the sake of applauding the effort. Its a lot to do with the atmosphere. Its more apparent when we're at some sort of show but even people watching a television together it produces a kind of 'audience' atmosphere. Everyone has a slightly different balance of reasons of why they laugh more: some people just try to be nice, some people want to laugh because it makes their time and money spent seem more worthwhile, some want to let other people know that they 'get the joke' etc. Now, Cinemas and certain shows produce a different atmosphere where silence is more appreciated but even in such situations if you get enough people in there people will openly laugh. And once people laugh others are encouraged as its a sort of unspoken way of relating to others and feeling 'a part of the crowd'.

[awe]

INterrresting...

now, do you two think that for you, the subconscious tendency to connect through laughter may have once existed but lost its power because you became aware of it when it was brought to your attention (conscious mind) and came with less than satisfactory results?

also, say you weren't watching tv, but were at a show to see a comedian, would you laugh with others then or tone it down? if you would laugh, would you laugh less if you were alone? (and of course, in this hypothetical, the comedian can't see you, so he doesn't count. no matter how much he thinks he should... the selfish bastard.)


Maybe when I was about 12 or so I became aware of other people laughing and showing emotions at television and came to the conclusions that:
-Comedy is usually directed at someone's misfortune, and that is mean.
-Comedy just recycles the same basic formulas, and how can something be funny more than once?
-It is created specifically for the purpose to make you laugh, so it is predictable, and therefore redundant.

So I consciously taught myself not to show emotions at such things as a kind of silent rebellion. Maybe it is unhealthy, I don't know?

Maybe if I went to see a comedian the laughter of others would make me reanalyze my own actions and alter my own accordingly.

It is the same when I am in any social situation, where I will typically analyze everything to such a degree that I become almost incapable of any interaction and must leave.

[Lateralus]

...
I'm sorry.

[rhinosaur]

When I'm alone, if I am in a normal state of mind, I laugh aloud less. If, instead, I am imagining that someone else is in the room, and I imagine their reaction, I laugh aloud more.

If I am not alone, I laugh less if I feel self-conscious and shy. I laugh more when I am focused on the object of laughter, and not on myself.

In either case, I am hyperaware of the other person in the room if one exists, whether imaginary or not.

I suppose the short way of saying it would be "It depends on what I'm thinking about."

[Jezebel]

INterrresting...

now, do you two think that for you, the subconscious tendency to connect through laughter may have once existed but lost its power because you became aware of it when it was brought to your attention (conscious mind) and came with less than satisfactory results?

also, say you weren't watching tv, but were at a show to see a comedian, would you laugh with others then or tone it down? if you would laugh, would you laugh less if you were alone? (and of course, in this hypothetical, the comedian can't see you, so he doesn't count. no matter how much he thinks he should... the selfish bastard.)

I also laugh at tv less when I'm around others, but I don't laugh at it much when I'm alone either. Not sure why, but I often 'laugh in my head' when I find things funny without feeling a need to do it out loud (I have to find it extremely funny or be intoxicated before I laugh out loud at tv/movies much). It probably wouldn't be much different with a comedian.

I think it has something to do with not being expressive toward 'passive' types of humor more than me consciously trying not to laugh. I do laugh a lot when I'm actually interacting with people though.

[rhinosaur]

Digest, I speculate that how funny an object seems to you significantly depends on how funny it seems to your peers.

[digesthisickness]

Maybe when I was about 12 or so I became aware of other people laughing and showing emotions at television and came to the conclusions that:
-Comedy is usually directed at someone's misfortune, and that is mean.
-Comedy just recycles the same basic formulas, and how can something be funny more than once?
-It is created specifically for the purpose to make you laugh, so it is predictable, and therefore redundant.

So I consciously taught myself not to show emotions at such things as a kind of silent rebellion. Maybe it is unhealthy, I don't know?

Maybe if I went to see a comedian the laughter of others would make me reanalyze my own actions and alter my own accordingly.

It is the same when I am in any social situation, where I will typically analyze everything to such a degree that I become almost incapable of any interaction and must leave.

hmm. this reminds me of when i practice 'self-discipline'. it began when i was a very small child. sort of an attempt to control my body/my reactions with my mind. for just one instance (as there are many examples of how i do this), deliberately sleeping without covers on freezing nights, waking up when i was five (when i lived in one of the particularly bad homes i was left in) to find i was covered in large black ants and refusing to leave... just lie there, etc. always trying to prove to myself that i can overcome cold, heat, pain, fear etc., with my will alone.

it also reminds me of how i despise being manipulated, and when i think it's being attempted then i'll deliberately do the opposite. maybe that's what you're doing when you don't laugh at what's 'supposed' to be funny?

[digesthisickness]

Digest, I speculate that how funny an object seems to you significantly depends on how funny it seems to your peers.

i don't think that's it. i can watch the same thing alone, not laugh, and watch it again, and laugh. many times i find things funny that they don't. and that goes both ways.

[xNTP]

Maybe the presence of others provokes some arousal (undifferentiated) that inspires more laughter. There've been a bunch of psych experiments showing that arousal seems to be undifferentiated, such that the fear experienced (arousal) from being on a high bridge can get crossed/confused with your attraction (arousal) to someone of the opposite sex. The phenomenon is called "misattribution." That's my best guess.

My second guess is that you can somehow get more absorbed in the characters and their drama. We identify with other people via the mirror neuron system, essentially pretending like ("mirroring") WE'RE going through whatever it is the target person experiences. Maybe being in the presence of others increases one's ability to perspective-take and identify, because you naturally prime the mirror system through talking with your friends. It could be that friends actually LOWER arousal levels and give you more cognitive resources to mirror. There are some studies that show that stress and judgment cause the mirror system to function less efficiently.

[joft]

pet peeve of mine:

those morning radio shows on FM rock/classic rock stations where they have 3 DJs (one of them female) who talk about things that are supposedly funny...... and laugh, loudly, right into their microphones, for long periods of time. "You're listening to Bob and Tom in the morning, your morning commute laughter soundtrack."wtf? I can see it has many purposes, I mean, some of the jokes or stories wouldn't be nearly as entertaining if they were told and nothing but silence ensued. also, people tuning to the station immediately know what's going on; something funny.

listen to this, and pay attention to how much the DJs laugh into their microphones at you: telemarketer pranking (http://www.boreme.com/boreme/funny-2006/telemarketer-prank-p1.php)

[rhinosaur]

telemarketer pranking (http://www.boreme.com/boreme/funny-2006/telemarketer-prank-p1.php)
That was actually really funny. Those shows are usually pretty annoying.

[Moral Porn]

I'm the exact opposite, I laugh more when I am alone.

[booyalab]

you sound like a real hoot at parties.
I said I don't laugh very much, not that I don't make other people laugh very much. :P