Humor Enhancеr vs. Humor Booster: And the winner is…

Who truly benefits when we merge humor and science? Discover how humor boosts immunity and enhances learning. The ultimate winner isn’t who you might think! Intrigued? Continue reading to find out more.

There is no better defense against misfortune than a well-cultivated sense of humor

Thomas W. Higginson (1823-1911, author, politician)

Obviously, the author was not speaking literally, especially considering that in his time, modern techniques of immunology and generally the life sciences that studied human physiology were not even on the horizon for scientists. However, the data so far from an ‘ocean’ of scientific studies come to show that humor strengthens our immunobiological system, or more simply, our body’s ‘Ministry of Defense’.

Humor: the immune booster!

Everything started in the mid-1980s. It was exactly then that researchers began to seriously investigate the positive effects of humor and laughter on the human immune system. And guess what: these studies showed that humor is a powerful antidote to the immunosuppressive effects of stress!

I will become more specific but not tiresome (I hope!). Most clinical studies showed statistically significant increases in the concentrations of immunoglobulin A (IgA), a type of antibody found in human secretions, such as saliva, which contributes to the protection of the body from infections of the upper respiratory system, such as those caused by viruses.

And it does not stop here. There are more and more studies showing that humor enhances the activity of Natural Killer cells (NK cells). I hope you are not scared! NK cells are ‘the commandos’ of our defense. They circulate in the blood and were named after their exclusive purpose of existence, which is nothing else but to ‘kill’ cancer cells and our cells that have been infected by viruses.

However, the above findings should not be ‘read’ in the wrong way. Humor and laughter, in no case, are the cure for cancer treatment or any deadly virus, but they create a series of conditions within our body that favor the most effective mobilization of defense mechanisms, whenever this is necessary.

Humor: the learning enhancer!

Enough, though, with the biological approach to the subject. And I say this because, as international literature has shown, humor, when used in the right dosage and in the right way, significantly facilitates the learning process in at least two complementary ways: on the one hand, it helps our students to better understand whatever scientific concept we are trying to teach them, on the other hand, it contributes to the development of a positive learning climate. To understand more about the application of humor in education or teaching, you can read the post on Teachers as… Humor Experts!

In summary, humor can act not only as an immune booster for our bodies but also as a learning enhancer. And we, the educators can utilize this knowledge to assist our students, even remotely. The formal prerequisites to do this are minimal: a computer and an Internet connection for both you and each of your students are enough. However, the essential conditions for the endeavor to succeed are curiosity and a disposition for humor and experimentation from both sides. But enough with the words. Here follows the ‘recipe’ I call:

Learning Science and Art through Humor

1. The student creates a joke related to a concept from the Science (e.g., Biology, Physics, etc.) that they believe they have understood well.
2. Then, they choose the photograph of a work of art by some famous painter (e.g., Salvador Dali, Giorgio de Chirico, etc.), which they believe can support the joke they invented.
3. They incorporate the joke into the specific work of art through a suitable free online application (e.g., Imgflip).
4. They post the photo with the joke (meme) on social media (e.g., Facebook, Instagram, etc.).
5. Finally, as a comment on the post, they include: a) a brief explanatory statement concerning the scientific concept, b) the name of the artist, and c) the name of their work.

In the depicted example to the left, the self-portrait “Surprise and Terror” by French artist Joseph Ducreux serves as a humorous scientific commentary on hand hygiene (meme: “Look! I’ve washed my hands… for 5 seconds !!!).

IThe sequence of the above steps is not absolute. For example, step 2. can precede step 1. if the student already has some knowledge of Art History. Moreover, the scientific concept or the artwork can be directly assigned by the teacher to the student. For an example of how humor can be used effectively in storytelling and teaching, check out the post about adding a little OCD to our lives.

Through such a simple activity, the teacher remains in continuous contact with their students while simultaneously assessing the degree of mastery of a scientific concept based on the quality of the joke. At the same time, it contributes to the expansion of the students’ cultural awareness and… let’s not forget: to the enhancement of their immune system!

Thought Sciеncе and Comеdy wеrе worlds apart? Think again!

Rеady to takе thе plungе into thе witty world of sciеncе? Join us in this uniquе journеy whеrе wе brеak down complеx sciеntific concеpts with a dash of humor. Explorе thе SciеncеLaughs univеrsе on our wеbsitе and discovеr how wе’rе making lеarning sciеncе a laughing mattеr!

Looking for a dosе of humor in your sciеncе class or еvеnt? Chеck out our What I offer pagе for a variеty of humor-infusеd sciеncе workshops and contеnt. Bеcausе at SciеncеLaughs, wе firmly bеliеvе that a good laugh can lеad to grеat lеarning. Kееp laughing, kееp lеarning!

Rеfеrеncеs

Banas, J. A., Dunbar, N., Rodriguеz, D., & Liu, S. (2011). A Rеviеw of Humor in Educational Sеttings: Four Dеcadеs of Rеsеarch. Communication Education, 60(1), 115-144.

Bеrk, R. A. (2000). Doеs Humor in Coursе Tеsts Rеducе Anxiеty and Improvе Pеrformancе? Collеgе Tеaching, 48(4), 151-158.

Martin, R. A. (2002). Is Laughtеr thе Bеst Mеdicinе? Humor, Laughtеr, and Physical Hеalth. Currеnt Dirеctions in Psychological Sciеncе, 11(6), 216-220.