Positive Psychology of Laughter and Humour

Freda Gonot-Schoupinsky completed her PhD in psychology at the University of Bolton in 2023 following an MSc in health psychology. Her contributions include the Laughie (Laugh Intentionally Everyday) laughter prescription and Positive Autoethnography.Merv Neal is “Australia’s Leading Laughter Expert”, and the CEO of Laughter Yoga Australia. He has appeared on numerous television programmes and is a professional speaker and facilitator, researcher, citizen scientist, Laughter Yoga trainer and Laughie practitioner.Jerome Carson is Professor of Psychology at the University of Bolton. He is interested in the field of alcohol addiction and recovery from a lived experience perspective, with much of his research in positive psychology and mental health recovery.

• Foreword; Arthur Asa BergerChapter 1. A brief history of laughter and humour Chapter 2. A brief history of Positive Psychology Chapter 3. Laughter and humour in positive psychology Chapter 4. The science of laughter and humour Chapter 5. Applied laughter and humour Chapter 6. Laughter therapy: Insight from a laughter practitioner Chapter 7. Laughter and humour case studies Chapter 8. From Covid-19 to the Laughie Challenge Chapter 9. Citizen science research: A 30-day laughter prescription Chapter 10. The future of laughter and humour in positive psychology

The amount of attention to detail given in this book is no joke. It takes you on a journey starting from the history of laughter and humor, all the way to the latest research and application of laughter in a diverse range of contexts. Whether you’re interested in laughter as a general topic or looking to incorporate laughter into your therapeutic toolbox, this book presents you with case studies, the science and future direction of laughter and humor. Essential reading for researchers, practitioners, and anyone with an interest in laughter.