The Social Responsiveness of Young Children in Humorous Situations

Most situations that evoke laughter are social. As Hertzler (1970) has put it, ‘Laughter is a social phenomenon. It is social in its origin, in its processual occurrence, in its functions, and in its effects’. Yet despite the widespread acknowledgement that laughter is subject to social influence, little systematic attempt has been made to explore the social situations which instigate and modify laughter. Both the processes and the responses are poorly understood.