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Laughter
"Analyzing humor is like dissecting a frog. Few people are interested and the frog dies of it." --E. B. White
Why do people laugh? Laughter is contagious and therapeutic. It helps us cope with stress, and relax with friends. It is an indication of happiness, the sole reason we go on living. But what causes people to laugh? People laugh at jokes, semantic humor, which relies on cognitive ability to process the "humor" therein, or sometimes at slapstick type behavior requiring no intellectual understanding. People laugh at different things and for different reasons, and for the few that are interested at the expense of the frog, it can be interesting to investigate.
Every individual varies in their neurological pathways through their "boxes" in their brain to reach the output of laughter from a number of different inputs. Laughter is caused by certain visual or audio stimuli, often by perception of the unexpected or the incongruous. A surprise in expected input can result in an emotional change, however major or minor. As H. Spencer says in his Physiology of Laughter, "the nervous system in general discharges itself on the muscular system in general: either with or without the guidance of the will" (1). Incongruous input causes an emotional change, and in the case of humorous response, resulting in the contraction of facial muscles and certain muscles in the abdomen. The epiglottis half closes the larynx, resulting in giggling, guffawing, or gasping, and tear ducts are activated. These outputs of the nervous system we refer to as laughter can be arrived at through a number of pathways through the boxes of the brain, fabricated in each individual throughout their life to that point.
Although different parts o...
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6) encontrar el hueso divertido del cerebro ,
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7) gerencia de la tensión y causas de la tensión ,
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Although modern science has allowed us to develop many complex medicines, laughter is still the strongest one available in the real world and in the book. Laughter proves to be a strong medicine in more ways than one and is completely free, allowing anyone to use it at anytime. It allows us to connect socially with people, it can be used as a way of overthrowing power, and it is good for your health. As Randle McMurphy showed in the novel, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, laughter can lighten the mood in the darkest situations.
Laughing is resorted to in times where we need to laugh. It’s an escape from reality, its comfort, its fear. Laughing subdues any emotion that is too high strung in our system. It lets it vapor out in a melancholy form that helps us cope with problems that no one else can really understand and help us with. In One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest it allowed emotional tension escape from the patients and made nurse Ratched lose her ward.
In One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey, McMurphy often uses the power of laughter to overcome what is going on in the world around him. Laughter lightens the feeling in the book, and at times gives it a warmer feeling. It also helps develop, and shape the characters throughout the entire story.
Psychologists, sociologists and anthropologists study humor because it is a fundamental culture value, but they still can’t determine why certain things make some people laugh and others not. There are “humor quotient” tests that are designed to measure an individual’s sense of humor, but these tests are questionable. These tests aren’t accurate because almost all humor depends on cultural background knowledge and language skills. Not every person in the whole world, or even in one country share the same background knowledge and skills, therefore they cannot have the same type of humor. “The fact remains that individuals vary in their appreciation of humor” (Rappoport 9). Since humor varies from individual to individual, humor lies in the individual. How successful or funny a joke is depends on how the person receives the joke, humor cannot be measured by a statistical
Kielhofner (2009) states “In the late 1940’s and the 1950s, occupational therapy came under pressure from medicine to establish a new theoretical rationale for its practice. Critiques arose from both Medicine and physicians regarding the concepts used in occupational therapy. Based on those comments, occupational realized the immediate need for a new paradigm. As Kielhofner mentioned “Occupational therapist came to believe it would bring occupational therapist recognition as an efficacious medical service and increase its scientific respectabilities
Townsend & Polatajko (2007) state that “Occupational therapy is the art and science of enabling engagement in everyday living, through occupation; of enabling people to perform the occupations that foster health and well-being; and of enabling a just and inclusive society so that all people may participate to their potential in the daily occupations of life”.
Occupational therapy made its first appearance in a modern-day setting during the 18th century; however, occupational therapy dates back to 100 BC. The United States medical system adopted occupational therapy in the 19th century. In 1910, occupational therapy became a realized profession. Then, the main focus was working with individuals to get them to a fully functional state. Around 1930, standards of practice were developed for occupational therapists (OT’s). The career continues to evolve and change as new illnesses and disabilities arise. Even with all the changes, the main focus remains intact: helping people.
Ministry of Health. (2013). Chronic Diseases . Retrieved December 19, 2013, from Ministry of Health Singapore: http://www.moh.gov.sg/content/moh_web/home/costs_and_financing/schemes_subsidies/medisave/Chronic_Diseases.html
Occupational therapy oriented my religious upbringing and principles with the desire to improve the health and welfare of others. It provided me with the an avenue in which I could help others regain control over aspects of their life that were lost and thus provide hope. Occupational therapy is defined as “helping people across the lifespan participate in the things they want and need to do through the therapeutic use of everyday activities”. The inherent value of occupational therapy is often underestimated and passed over. Occupational therapists do everything from helping children with disabilities so that they can fully engage in school activities to helping those who lost bodily functions in accidents to recover usage of their limbs.
Occupational therapy (OT) is an interesting discipline which has its roots in just about every other form of therapy and medicine. Many aspects of OT are seen in everyday life, yet are unnoticed because of how common place they are in our society. When I thought of OT I thought of specialized equipment such as a modified spoon to help someone who has suffered a stroke to eat by themselves again. This is one aspect, however there are many more instances that OT assist other medical professionals. Throughout this paper I will discuss more in depth on what it is an occupational therapist does and why this type of therapy is essential to our activities of daily living.
Consistent with the concept that occupation is the foundation stone of occupational therapy, this research paper makes a case for the importance of acknowledging the central position of occupation in all definitions of occupational therapy. Having a clear and easily recognizable definition of occupational therapy is imperative if the profession is to survive the current challenges, such as competition for limited resources, other professions widening the scope of their practice, and pressure for generic rather than specialist workers.
Therefore, laughter therapy can be a series of cognitive-behavioural therapies that helps to make physical, psychological, and social relationships healthy and ultimately improves the quality of life (Ko and Youn 2011). It has taken a very long time for laughter to become a recognized medical therapy. Dr. William Fry of Stanford University School of Medicine developed a theory of laughter therapy, and found that humour and laughter produced natural painkillers in pituitary, such as endorphins, improved blood circulation, and decreased stress (Fry and Salameh
Feeling down and depressed? Laugh all those troubles away. Laughter is a simple yet substantial way of putting that little spring back in the step. When people say “Laughter is the best medicine,” what are they referring to? Laughing acts as calorie burner, prevents heart disease or other illnesses, can increase learning abilities and focus, or even bring a more optimistic outlook on life.
If there is one way to bring a smile to someone’s face, it is laughter. Funny jokes, comical stunts, sarcasm- Every person is different when it comes to what makes them laugh. Some find dry humor comical. Others think sarcasm or joke-filled ranting are the best. ‘Comedy’ is such a broad term, broad enough to allow everyone to find something they find comical. In fact, ‘comedy’ includes a specific type of drama, one where the protagonist is joyful and happy endings are expected. Comedy is like a drug; it allows you to escape reality. When we say the word ‘comedy’ in the present, we are generally referring to a type of performance which provides humor. However, in its broadest sense, comedy has only one purpose: comedy makes people smile and
Humor has been the source of entertainment throughout history. Today humor is practiced in movies, plays, songs, television shows and radio. Humor has brought fame and fortune to those who have mastered its power.