Gelotophobia

By learning more about gelotophobia, psychologists and psychiatrists hope to figure out better ways to treat those who suffer from it. ❋ Ewillett (2009)

For example, in another study participants who had scored either extremely high or low in a test assessing gelotophobia listened to a recording of 20 different laughs, from embarrassed giggles to belly laughs to jeering laughs, and rated those laughs as pleasant or unpleasant, domineering or less-domineering. ❋ Ewillett (2009)

In all, gelotophobia was found to some degree in anywhere from two to 30 percent of the population. ❋ Ewillett (2009)

More: those with gelotophobia find it difficult or impossible to distinguish between playful teasing and ridicule. ❋ Ewillett (2009)

The Swiss researchers commissioned 93 scientists to administer a questionnaire (translated into 42 different languages) to a total of 22,610 people to find out whether they suffered from gelotophobia. ❋ Ewillett (2009)

Those without fear of laughter said they felt more cheerful after listening to the recorded laughter; those with gelotophobia reported no change in mood. ❋ Ewillett (2009)

They suffer from an emotional disorder called gelotophobia. ❋ Unknown (2010)

The researchers wanted to understand the difference between normal shyness and true gelotophobia. ❋ Unknown (2010)

Studies of causes and consequences of gelotophobia were among the topics presented in June in Long Beach, Calif., at a meeting of the International Society for Humor Studies. ❋ Unknown (2009)

Thailand's paddy politics threaten dominance of rice time in the making: 43 years after it was blocked by communist censors, one of the funniest humour but they are really an oversensitive, paranoid nation prone to gelotophobia - a condition in which sufferers always believe the joke is on them. ❋ Unknown (2009)