Laughing During Conversations, But Not in Response to Digital Media, Is Associated With Less Loneliness, Social Isolation, and Social Withdrawal: A Cross-Sectional Study of German Adults in 2023

Abstract

Background and Aims: Due to the limited knowledge in this study area, we aimed to investigate the association of frequency of laughter with loneliness, social isolation (perceived and objective social isolation), and social withdrawal. Methods: Cross-sectional data were from an online German sample of adults aged 18–74 years (n = 5000 individuals; data collection in late summer 2023). The De Jong Gierveld tool was used to quantify loneliness. The Lubben Social Network Scale was used to quantify objective social isolation, and the Bude and Lantermann tool was used to measure perceived social isolation. The German version of the 25-item Hikikomori Questionnaire was used to measure social withdrawal. A frequently used tool was applied to quantify (1) the frequency of laughter and (2) the occasion on which one laughs (conversations with people, consuming digital media, cultural events, reading, other). Results: Frequent laughter was significantly associated with less loneliness, social isolation (both objective and perceived), and social withdrawal. Notably, laughing during conversations and cultural events was consistently linked to these outcomes, while laughing while consuming digital media showed no significant association. Laughing while reading and laughing while doing other things were partly associated with the outcomes. Conclusion: A higher frequency of laughter was associated with lower levels of loneliness, social isolation, and social withdrawal. Laughing while having conversations with people and attending cultural events were associated with more social integration, whereas laughing while consuming digital media was not significantly associated with any outcomes. These findings suggest that laughter could help reinforce social connections and help address the challenges of loneliness, but these associations need further testing with interventions and longitudinal research.