HOW TO DEVELOP HUMOR

Environmental factors are indispensable in facilitating the development of inherited traits or predispositions. This situation is also applicable to the development of humor. Despite the fact that it is based primarily on innate factors, certain environmental factors play a very significant role in facilitating its development.

The development of a sense of humor can be facilitated in the following way:

1.story telling: carefully planned stories are capable of arousing laughter and a sense of humor. How ever stories that are designed to cause laughter and humor must take due cognizance of the age of the audience.

In addition,abusive and sarcastic stories should be avoided because they are aggressive and unhealthy.

2.encouragement of group activities such as dramatization, role playing, sports,games also promote the development of humor. These activities accomplish this by creating varied opportunities for inter personal interactions through which humor is generated.

3. humor can also be created and developed in social settings by encouraging music,cartoons, paintings and looking at them. These things generate humor especially when they contain elements of incongruity.

4.the encouragement of self-expression also facilitates the development of humor.

5.humor can also be developed by ensuring that a threat free or psychologically relaxed atmosphere prevails in the social set-ups.

6.finally exposing individuals particularly children to varied social experiences which call for impromptu humorous handling facilitates the development of humor.

One’s ability to generate and enjoy humor indicate normalcy and liberation from internal and external presses. This statement should not however be taken in the absolute term because lunatics have also been observed laughing and exhibiting other forms of humor.

The major point to be noted here is that the ability of an individual to generate and develop a good sense of humor is not only a social asset.

It also signifies that the individual derives meaning and satisfaction in life. This sense of satisfaction creates a state of internal peace and thus prolongs life.