Sense of humor and physical health: Theoretical issues, recent findings, and future directions

Abstract

This article provides an introduction to this special issue on sense of humor and physical health. It begins by discussing several dierent potential mechanisms by which humor and laughter may benefit health. Each of these mechanisms has dierent implications for the conceptualization and mea- surement of humor or laughter, choice of research designs, and potential therapeutic applications. A brief overview of the articles in this special issue is provided, and their contributions are discussed in the context of past research on humor and health. The results of these studies point to some avenues of research that are not likely to be productive, as well as some potentially fruitful directions for future research. Remaining questions are discussed, and suggestions are given for future research in this area.