Dr.Wisemanstartedthe“laughlab”projectinSeptember2001.Itisthelargeststudyofhumor.Participantsareinvitedtologonthelaughlabwebsitegiveafewpersonaldetailstelltheirfavoritejokesandjudgethejokestoldby
Dr.Wisemanstartedthe“laughlab”projectinSeptember2001.Itisthelargeststudyofhumor.Participantsareinvitedtologonthelaughlabwebsitegiveafewpersonaldetailstelltheirfavoritejokesandjudgethejokestoldbyotherpeople.
Theirprojectwilllastforayearandtheorganizershopetofinallydiscovertheworld’sfunniestjoke.Butthereisalsoaseriouspurpose.Theresearcherswanttoknowwhatpeoplefromdifferentnationsandculturesfindfunny.Andtheywanttofindoutthedifferencesbetweenmale’sandfemale’ssenseofhumor.Theideaisthatifwewanttounderstandeachotherwehavetofindoutwhatmakesuslaugh.
Thisisasubjectthathaslonginterestedpsychologists(心理学家)andphilosophers(哲学家).Mostofthetimepeoplearenotcompletelyhonest.Wedothingsthatsocietyexpectsustoandsaythingsthathelpusgetwhatwewant.Butlaughingcannotbecontrolled.Whenwelaughwetellthetruthaboutourselves.
ByDecember2001over10000jokeshadbeensubmitted(公认的).Thisgavethescientistsenoughevidencetomakeearlyconclusions.Itseemsthatmenandwomendohavedifferentsensesofhumorforexample.
“Ourfindingsshowthemajordifferencesinthewaysinwhichmalesandfemalesusehumor”saidDrWiseman.“Malesusehumortoappearsuperior(高傲的,有优越感的)tootherswhilewomenaremoreskilledinlanguagesandpreferwordplay.”
Researchersalsofoundthattherereallyissuchathingasanationalsenseofhumor.TheBritishenjoywhatisusuallycalled“toilethumor”.ButtheFrenchliketheirjokesshortandsharp“You’reahighpricedlawyer.Willyouanswertwoquestionsfor$500?”“Yes.What’sthesecondquestion?”
TheGermansarefamousfornothavingasenseofhumor.ButthesurveyfoundthatGermanparticipantsweremorelikelytofindsubmittedjokesfunnythananyothernationality.Perhapsthatprovesthepoint.Isthisjokefunny?Idon’tknowbutlet’ssayyesjusttobesafe.
DrWisemanandhisworkmatesalsosubmittedjokescreatedbycomputer.Butnoneofthosewhotookpartinthesurveyfoundanyofthemamusing.Perhapsthisisrelief(安慰).Computersalreadyseemliketheycandoeverything.Butatleasttheyshouldleavethefunnythingstous.
小题1:Thescientiststartedthe“laughlab”project________.