Rats Stop Laughing When They Feel Anxious

One of the thrills of pursuing laughter-for-good as a career is discovering studies that confirm everything I already know. Another is when a legitimate scientific study makes me laugh out loud.

Hence the subject line of this week's writing.

"Rats stop laughing when they feel anxious."

That's from Professor Sophie Scott of University College London, who goes on to say, "Humans do the same thing. It's a sign if people are laughing that they're not in that anxious state. It's a marker that the group is in a good place."

Timely, since it's that time of year when many people are looking for creative ways to celebrate their people.

After years of working "day jobs" in law firms and financial institutions, witnessing the occasional drunken disconnectedness of office holiday parties, I've always felt there's a better way to end the year. And not just because you won't regret telling your boss what you really think or need a B12 shot. 

Fortunately for all of us, creating an experience where people laugh together without getting hammered has benefits that also go well beyond having a good time.

The late, great laughter scholar Robert Provine called laughter "the quintessential human social signal." His point? Laughter is about relationships.

And before anyone panics about having to be funny or tell jokes, there's good news.

According to Professor Scott, the laughter we share with colleagues isn't so much about jokes as it is about moments of connection. Shared laughter can be a signal that we're relaxed, comfortable, and feeling safe with one another.

Then there are these two guys, John Kounios at Drexel University and Mark Beeman at Northwestern University, who studied the relationship between laughter and creative problem-solving. According to a BBC article, watching a short comedy clip increased puzzle-solving success by 20%.

Less anxiety. More connection. A greater sense of safety. And the potential for more creative thinking.

Given all this, why wouldn't we want to close out the year bringing people together to laugh?

Fortunately that’s how a recent group of Amazon folks felt after just ninety minutes with us, 

“We had people here today from all over the world that have never met. From very different cultures, and backgrounds. They were all laughing together!”

And one person who described his experience, 

“I felt like a star today and I’m normally very awkward. Thank you!”

And my personal favorite: 

“I don’t think anyone here ever knew my name.” 

Let us do the same for the people who keep the train on the tracks, 

I'd love to talk about creating a celebration your team will still be talking  about well into 2027.

And best of all they'll be talking to each other. And laughing. And they’ll remember all of it!