Make ‘Em Laugh

The 'Make 'Em Laugh' episode of 'The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos' delves into the concept of emotional contagion, particularly through laughter and its influence on happiness. Dr. Santos begins by discussing the history of canned laughter in television, revealing that laugh tracks were developed by sound engineer Charles Douglas in 1950 to enhance audience reactions. These pre-recorded laughs, initially captured from live audiences at comedy shows, have been used for decades to sweeten TV programs and are still in use today, even featuring the laughter of individuals long deceased. Dr. Santos notes that despite their artificial nature, laugh tracks effectively make jokes seem funnier due to emotional contagion, a phenomenon where individuals unconsciously mimic and adopt the emotions of those around them.

The narrative then transitions to the broader implications of emotional contagion beyond television. Dr. Santos draws parallels to Shakespeare's era, where audience reactions were manipulated to enhance theatrical experiences. The episode emphasizes how emotional contagion is not a new concept and has been utilized in various forms to shape audience reactions throughout history.

Dr. Santos introduces the work of Jeff Hancock, who conducted a controversial Facebook study to investigate whether emotions can be transmitted through text on social media. The study found that altering the emotional content of users' news feeds could affect the emotions expressed in their own posts, demonstrating that emotional contagion extends to the digital realm. The backlash Hancock faced highlights the ethical concerns and the impact of emotional contagion online.

The episode concludes with insights from Seagal Barsade, who studies emotional contagion in organizational settings. Barsade's research reveals that emotions, both positive and negative, can spread through workplaces, affecting team dynamics and performance. Leaders, in particular, have a significant influence on setting the emotional tone. The episode underscores the potential for individuals to consciously manage and utilize emotional contagion to foster more positive environments, both in person and online.