This study examined the effect of a brief period of forced laughter on the mood of adults. Participants (N = 17) rated their mood before and after 1 min. of forced laughter. Although the participants generally rated their mood as positive prior to the intervention, after forced laughter more participants rated positive affect significantly higher.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
DillonK. M. (1985) Positive emotional states and enhancement of the immune system. International Journal of Psychiatry in Medicine, 15, 10–15.
2.
ProvineR. R. (2000) Laughter: a scientific investigation. New York: Viking Penguin.
3.
YoungP. T. (1937) Laughing and weeping, cheerfulness and depression: a study of moods among college students. Journal of Social Psychology, 8, 311–334.
4.
ZeiglerJ. (1995) Immune system may benefit from the ability to laugh. Journal of the National Cancer Institute, 87, 342–343.
