What's so funny? Even chimpanzees don't like insulting someone who told a bad joke

It turns out that chimpanzees also laugh "for the guys".

Do you know the situation where you giggle or react with laughter even when what happened around you was not so funny? Or was the joke bad, and you laughed simply because that's the situation, and you don't want to offend anyone? This behavior has an important role - we live in a society, and it is appropriate and desirable to maintain a certain harmony within it. Primates, chimpanzees and monkeys of various kinds also live in groups and lead a social life, and even play together, laugh and express emotions. But not sure they are as polite as us....

Although recently it turned out that chimpanzees do the exact same thing - that is, they laugh "for the guys".

Until recently, there was evidence that chimpanzees laugh while playing, and when they tried to make them laugh - they only succeeded under one condition - when they were tickled. In other words, whoever tried to make monkeys laugh only managed to do so under natural circumstances. Other entertaining attempts - as part of an experiment - for example with the help of games or video recordings - failed. This is while if I were to ask you, the readers here, to laugh even when nothing is funny, for the sake of science or out of politeness, you would be able to do so.

Recently, it became clear that monkeys are not so far from us in their social behavior. Not only can they laugh for someone else, but their spontaneous, "real" laughter is different from their "social" laughter, and that they use it. Just like you laugh when you have nothing to say or when you are embarrassed, and are sure that this is what will "smooth the atmosphere". Chimpanzees in a nature reserve in Africa were recorded during a game or social interaction, and what was revealed?

that when their play partner laughed, they usually responded with a polite giggle as well, to show they were in the same frame of mind and continue the pleasant social interaction. This "polite" chuckle was different, vocally, that is, how it sounds and looks, from real laughter, and probably really related to imitation. As playmates laughed together, they also played together for a longer period of time, proving that laughter did smooth the atmosphere between them and kept them connected.

So for those of us who need a little tip from the great monkeys:

A small chuckle at the right moment, or participating in the joy of the other, can definitely improve the atmosphere between you and light up the room.

The original article:

Davila-Ross, M., Allcock, B., Thomas, C., & Bard, KA (2011) Aping Expressions? Chimpanzees Produce Distinct Laugh Types When
Responding to Laughter of Others. Emotion