Gender Difference in Laughter

The results show in these chart indicate that there is no cultural gender difference in expression humor or laughter. However, there is difference in what all culture believe humor is. This information is important because it explains why something are important to some culture and not to another. The authors agrees when they quote “in Japan, unlike in the United States, humor is not considered an important coping device. American media praise the use of humor [regardless of occupation] especially applied situation of stress and illness” (as cited in Ofra Nevo and Baruch Nevo 2001 pg. 153). In sum, all cultural have their own way (reason) to express laughter, but neither less, all culture express humor or laughter at the same rate. One might ask, how did different perspective of laughter occur? The answer is simple, our behavior were shaped by observing the word before can walk and talk.

Infant Behavior

It is often said that human personalities resemble their behavior as a child. Study have shown a strong correlation to how they will behave in the future (resemble adult behavior). However, before children enter into the world, they are immediately taught what to do and what not to do. As researchers Malastesta and Haviland puts it, “children develop the ability to modulate their emotional expression in the course of growing up” (Malatesta and Haviland 1986). According to Malatesta and Haviland “several studies of early mother-infant interaction suggest that young infants are exposed to modeling and instrumental learning conditions during face-to-face play with their mothers; these conditions conceivably constitute the very first occasions for learning display rules.”

To test hypothesis, the author conducted a study to measure...

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Works Cited

Campbell, L., Martin, R. A., & Ward, J. R. (2008). An observational study of humor use while resolving conflict in dating couples. Personal Relationships, 15(1), 41-55.

Brooks, J., & Lewis, M. (1976). Infants' responses to strangers: Midget, adult, and child. Child Development, 323-332.

Malatesta, C. Z., & Haviland, J. M. (1982). Learning display rules: The socialization of emotion expression in infancy. Child development, 991-1003.

McAdams, D. P., Jackson, R. J., & Kirshnit, C. (1984). Looking, laughing, and smiling in dyads as a function of intimacy motivation and reciprocity. Journal of Personality, 52(3), 261-273.

Nevo, O., Nevo, B., & Yin, J. L. S. (2001). Singaporean humor: A cross-cultural, cross-gender comparison. The Journal of General Psychology, 128(2), 143-156.

Provine, R. R. (1996). Laughter. American scientist, 38-45.