Fear, absurd words and poo jokes: researchers interpret humor in babies | Family

A team of researchers from the University of Bristol examined the sense of humor of the youngsters. They looked at the behavior of about seven hundred children around the world, and published their results in the scientific journal Behavioral research methods.

The results are surprising: after just four weeks, they see the humor in things. Half of newborns don’t start to find fun things until after two months.

Scientists have found that babies can enjoy different forms of physical, visual and auditory humor. While playing, but also making faces, using strange voices and – how could it be otherwise – saying ‘hi’.

Babies under the age of one especially appreciate the reactions of others. Think of someone who pretends to be very surprised. Children two to three years of age are more likely to like “absurd humor” such as phrases like “dogs say croak”. From the age of three, tricks, puns and – oops! – coarse words are best.

Socialization, that is, learning on the basis of interacting with others, is the key for children to develop a sense of humor. Deliberately adding a comedic touch also helps kids develop their other cognitive skills, such as imagination. Elena Hoicka, senior lecturer at the university, told the British daily The temperature“Our results show that humor is a complex developmental process during the first four years of life.”

“Given the importance of humor in so many aspects of the lives of children and adults, it’s important to develop tools that can understand how humor develops,” she adds. The research has the potential to be used as a resource for young educators and to avoid differences in children’s development, according to the senior lecturer. She also wants to continue to focus on research that analyzes how humor can help children and youth. “Cognitively, socially, but also in terms of mental health. “