Final answer:
Laughter is a social activity, often occurring in group settings and serving as a social bond rather than a response to formal jokes. It is influenced by cultural norms and is considered a cultural universal for releasing tension and creating unity.
Step-by-step explanation:
Research has revealed much about the nature of laughter and its role in social dynamics and communication. Some key findings are that most laughter is not a response to formal jokes; rather, it occurs in everyday interactions and often serves to build relationships and ease tensions. Laughter can also be indicative of emotions aside from joy, such as nervousness or fear. Furthermore, the prevalence of laughter in a group setting is significantly higher than when individuals are alone, suggesting a social component to the act of laughing. Interestingly, cultural norms influence what is considered humorous, and there is considerable variation across different societies. For example, slapstick comedy may elicit laughter in one culture but not in another. Laughter has been identified by researchers such as anthropologist George Murdock as a cultural universal, functioning as a mechanism to release tension and foster unity.