11-08-2025
Superpower Laughter - How Humor Makes Us Strong – DW – 08/11/2025
We associate laughter with jokes or humor. Laughter is both contagious and a social behavior: people laugh 30 times more often in company.
The documentary shows how neuroscience and psychology have discovered that humor makes us stronger.
In London, neuroscientist Sophie Scott has dedicated herself to researching laughter. "Laughter plays an important role in building and maintaining social relationships. It reduces stress and relaxes us.
It is an important behavior to understand," she says. This is why laughter is also interesting for psychology.
A research team at the Alpen-Adria-Universität Klagenfurt is exploring how humor can help in psychotherapy. Humor strengthens the relationship between therapists and patients, which can actually reduce symptoms.
Others have also discovered the positive interpersonal effect for themselves: the "Humor hilft heilen" ("humor helps to heal') foundation, founded by German doctor and TV presenter Eckart von Hirschhausen, conducts workshops in hospitals, among other places.
Humor trainers teach nursing staff how to cope better with the everyday demands of their jobs. It's not about constantly cracking jokes. Rather, it's about lightening interactions between nursing staff and patients.
Broadcasting Hours:
DW English
THU 21.08.2025 – 01:15 UTC
THU 21.08.2025 – 04:15 UTC
FRI 22.08.2025 – 09:15 UTC
FRI 22.08.2025 – 16:15 UTC
FRI 22.08.2025 – 21:15 UTC
SAT 23.08.2025 – 19:15 UTC
SUN 24.08.2025 – 02:15 UTC
MON 25.08.2025 – 12:15 UTC
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