South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-09-19
Psychologists Say
Reason Laugh
ter is Going Out
of Style is Be-
cause r elevation
is BecomingLost
Art.

INEXPENSIVE. snileless faces witch
one secs on the streets, in homes, Of
hees. and even places of amusement
The happy. banning. smiling face is
such an exception TO the rule that it
attracts general attention. And
lsuzhterl The person who is so I'M
fortunate as to give way TO merry
laughter in pubic finds himself the
center of all eyes. Certainly it is not
good form any more to laugh in public
And what Is tn, result Of lack of
laughter? Well. for one thing It makes
faces terribly dull and uninterestng.
Poker faces may be an asset in card
games, but In everyday life they are
deadly nonotonous. And the present
day tendency is toward poker faces;
faces. immovably set in one express
sion without any change to indicate
emotional responses. Surprise, de-
light, dismay. affection and hurnor fail
to register variations on the everyday
poker face. They remain a set mask
on every and all occasions. and only
the Omnipotent is able TO tell whether
their owners are actually stupid or
merely expressionless.
And yet the possessors of poker
faces frequently congratulate them
selves that they have attained remark
able seIf-control. Not 50 according
to modern psychologists. They say that
the unsniling countenance is one that
indicates lack Of self-controL The
serious, sober face is maintained with
its long. straight, harsh lines because
its owner keeps himself keyed up IN
a tense, nervous, solemn state without
the ability to relax and let smiles
curve the line Of his countenance into
pleasing expressions.
Laughter. the modern psychologists
tell rs. is the result of sudden relaxa-
ton Of tension from our daily grind
and effort and the reason laughter is
going out Of style is because relaxa-
ton is becoming a lost art
Psysiologically laughter results
from sudden muscular relaxation aft
er muscular strain A hunter tracks
his game for miles and finally an &C
curate shot lays it low. AS he stands
over the fallen beast, smiles of salts
faction wreath his face and ne may
even laugh aloud in the sudden relax
alton from the concentration and
strain OF the chase. A tennis player
stands on tiptoe with tense muscles as
he watches tAe ball bound from his
racket. but as it lands where he in
tended it 10, smiles and laughter sig
nal his release from the momentary
strain.
What Causes
Laughter.
Sudden release from mental strain
and concentration produces the same
result, smiles and laughter. This abil-
ity TO relax is the basis for a sense of
huInor. The tense. nervous individual
must experience momentary relaxa-
ton from his strain before he can
laugh and smile The old sage who
first handed out the advice. Laugh
and grow fat" had the right theory, al
though he may not have understood
that il Is the relaxation Of laughter
which promotes good health. Laughter
Is a sure antidote for nerves" and all
their resultant ills because relaxation.
no matter how temporary. must pre-
cede Il
Thus we see II Is the nervous ten
sion OF the American people which
tends to make them an unsmiling peo-
ple- II is their energy and strain that
keeps them keyed up TO a high ten
sion. and having a tendency to make
genuine laughter lost art Foreign
ers have often pointed out the fact
that We take 10 our amusements and
recreations the same seriousness and
intentness Of purpose and We are seen
either taking part in amusements or
watching them with the same serious
ness that characteriZes our work. We
never let go OF ourselves even in play
so that the self-colotrol which in the
beginning is an admirable quality be-
comes such an obsession that spon-
taneity and relaxation is destroyed,
and nerves are a result
The psychologists explain under the
most favorable conditions, civilized
man is under a continual strain. As
civilization has advanced. social re-
strictions have become more binding,
and man finds himself having TO con
form TO all kinds OF rules and regula-
tons with which culture has fettered