You Can Figure Out The Kind Of Person Someone Is By What Makes Them Laugh, Explains Personality Expert
WOSUNAN | Shutterstock Laughter can provide many quantifiable benefits, from calorie burning to stress relief. Additionally, a good belly laugh is a natural endorphin inducer and generally makes everyone feel good.
That said, humor isn't universal. Some may shy away from certain types, like sarcasm, self-deprecating jokes, or jokes that make another person the punchline. And, adversely, those same jokes may make another person crack up.
That’s why personality plays a huge role in what makes someone laugh. In essence, you can get a sense of someone simply by what makes them laugh, from dark humor to dad jokes. Personality type expert Merrick Rosenberg is a firm believer in the theory that what makes people laugh is a good indicator of what kind of person they are.
You can almost always figure out the kind of person someone is by what makes them laugh, explains personality type expert.
Merrick Rosenberg, an award-winning speaker, author, entrepreneur, CEO, and self-described “personality ninja,” shared in a TikTok video, “that joke you can’t stop laughing about is revealing who you are,” and psychologists agree.
Researchers did a meta-analysis in an attempt to find a connection between humor and personality. They focused on the four humor styles: affiliative, self-enhancing, aggressive, and self-defeating; along with the Big Five personality traits: extroversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism, and openness to experience.
Extroverted personalities are more drawn to positive humor.
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The findings of the meta-analysis were that extroverted personalities, those scoring high on agreeableness, and those open to experiences are associated with positive, affiliative, and self-enhancing humor.
This means that these types of humor are more inclusive, like dad jokes, for instance. They are the opposite of aggressive humor that is often used “to disparage others.” Inclusivity and positivity align well with people who are more extroverted, who positively attract other people.
Rosenberg took things deeper, however. He noted that people with a "quick wit" are much more "spontaneous and comfortable with taking risks." That makes sense given that you can't exactly think before you speak when you're playing off of others around you. If your humor centers more on sarcasm, Rosenberg shared that you're likely the type of person who prefers to "handle conflict indirectly."
A person whose humor targets others or punches down could be a sign that they lack confidence.
Rosenberg took the gentle approach that this more aggressive style of humor was linked with confidence issues, but the meta-analysis seemed to indicate that this type of humor was more popular among individuals who score high on neuroticism.
In analyzing the research, evolutionary psychologist Gil Greengross, Ph.D., explained, "people who scored high on neuroticism tended to score low on the two healthy humor styles. Neuroticism is a good predictor of psychopathology, and neurotic people tend to suffer from more stress and to be more anxious than the less neurotic. Thus, it is not surprising that people high on neuroticism are less likely to use healthy humor styles, or perhaps not to know how to use them effectively."
As BetterHelp noted, "People who use this type of humor may seek power and control, or they could be trying to cover up their insecurity."
Humor has physical and emotional benefits.
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So how can you use your sense of humor to your own benefit, without forcing it, of course? You can use humor as a healthy coping mechanism because it has many personal benefits.
It reduces stress by changing your body chemistry. As mentioned earlier, endorphins are released when you have a good laugh. These receptors lessen pain and trigger feelings of pleasure. Feelings of stress and discomfort are reduced, and feelings of joy and happiness increase.”
Laughing can reduce pain and release pleasure chemicals in the brain. Humor can create a “shared experience” which builds a connection between people.
Whether your style is Matt Rife’s audience-focused humor or Dave Chappelle’s observational standup, watching a video of a group of people laughing at these comedians connects you to that group, even though you aren’t there. It also benefits the extroversion personality trait by drawing people in.
Sharing humor is relaxing and opens you up to experience. Whatever your sense of humor is, it really does showcase your personality. You are not alone in the type you appreciate the most, and you can figure out someone else’s personality by what they laugh at as well.
Laura Lomas is a writer with a Master’s degree in English and Creative Writing who focuses on news, psychology, lifestyle, and human interest topics.
