Psychology

There is a growing body of research indicating that laughter may improve immune function, help lower blood pressure, boost mood and reduce stress and depression, the Washington Post reported on October 24 in a story entitled “Laughing may help ease blood pressure, boost mood and enrich health in other ways.” Robert Provine, professor of psychology, agrees. He said that laughter might benefit the body because it is “an energetic, stressful activity that stirs up all of our physiological systems… involving strong vocalization, an increase in heart rate and blood pressure and muscle contractions all over the body.”

The Crofton Patch reports that Eric Tedrow ’13, psychology, is the driving force behind a new skate park that will soon open in Crofton. Tedrow, a rollerblader, saw the need for a place where skaters could practice their sport. “Give children a place where they can push the boundaries of the sport. They need an outlet for that activity,” he told the website. Tedrow hopes to one day use the psychology skills he is learning at UMBC to research alternative athletes. “What makes them get out there and want to risk it all? There has to be a pattern,” said… Continue Reading Eric Tedrow ’13, Psychology, on Patch.com

In a story entitled “Scientists Hint at Why Laughter Feels So Good,” the New York Times reports on a study that attempts to pin down exactly why laughing until it hurts feels so good. The study suggests that the pleasure lies in the physical act of laughing. The simple muscular exertions involved in producing the familiar “ha, ha, ha,” he said, trigger an increase in endorphins, the brain chemicals known for their feel-good effect. Robert Provine, professor of psychology and a noted expert on laughter, said he thought the study was “a significant contribution” to a field of study that… Continue Reading Robert Provine, Psychology, in the New York Times