Laughter: an empirical test of some reversal theory hypotheses

Hypotheses derived from reversal theory on state-specific responses to humorous material were tested by recruitment of 10 telic (serious minded) and 10 paratelic (playful) state-dominant individuals from a larger sample of university students completing the Telic Dominance Scale. They were individually exposed to a comedy programme displayed on television in a psychophysiological laboratory. Polygraph record of respiration provided operational measurement of laughter. Subjects ratings were derived for felt and preferred level of arousal and for telidparatelic state in the laboratory situation. Results confirmed (1) that humorous material tends to induce the paratelic state, even in telic state-dominant individuals, and (2) that frequency of laughter in the paratelic state is positively correlated with degree of felt arousal and with arousal preference, thus indicating a linear , rather than ditonic, relation of hedonic tone to felt arousal in this state.