Oct 3, 2026 · 53 min
Shared laughter strengthens relationships and resilience
Relational Psychology (BONDING VIA LAUGHING) with Sara Algoe and Laura Kurtz
As social isolation grows, research on laughter shows how small moments of shared connection can support healthier, more durable relationships.
- 1Shared laughter signals similarity and trust, even between people who have barely interacted.
- 2Love becomes measurable through concrete acts of care, support, and attention rather than feelings alone.
- 3Playful, novel, in-person experiences can create positive connection that helps relationships and resilience endure.
Don't miss
The GIF experiment shows that merely appearing to share laughter can make a prerecorded stranger seem more similar and worth meeting.
The brief
Sara Algoe and Laura Ulrich of the Love Consortium study experiences people often treat as too familiar or subjective for serious science: love, laughter, and connection.
Their central distinction is between humor and shared laughter: laughing together can signal that two people see the world similarly, strengthening trust and relationship well-being.
In a GIF experiment, participants who appeared to share laughter with a prerecorded actor felt more similar to that person and more interested in meeting them.
The researchers connect playful, novel activities with stronger bonds, while noting that audible and visual laughter cues carry more social information than LOLs or emojis.
The practical argument is modest but consequential: make room for silliness and in-person connection, because positive relationships support resilience, health, and potentially longer lives.
Featuring
Mentioned
Bell Hooks
All About Love: New VisionsBooks & mentions
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