Being the class clown has long had a bad connotation, but a William & Mary professor will explore how humor is healthy in an upcoming public lecture.
Chair and Professor of Religious Studies John Morreall will present a talk titled, “What’s So Funny? The Nature and Value of Humor” at 7 p.m. Oct. 2 in the Chesapeake Room at the Sadler Center.
The presentation is free and open to the public. His talk is the most recent in the William & Mary Faculty Lecture Series, which launched last spring with a talk about vector-borne diseases.
Morreall has studied the physical and emotional benefits of humor, which he says is the opposite of stress. Laughter lowers blood pressure, increases blood circulation, reduces muscle tension and pain, and boosts the immune system, according to a W&M News release.
In addition, humor can create a psychological distance from stress, helping to block negative emotions and allow people to process their problems. “That’s why people with a better sense of humor are more creative and are better at coping with change,” Morreall said.
Morreall’s lecture will focus on how humor can improve relationships and communication in personal relationships and in business, citing Southwest Airlines’ playful approach as an example that has yielded great results. Humor, Morreall said, can defuse conflicts, reduce defensiveness and create rapport and good morale.
“So why isn’t it used more in the corporate world? Because our culture has a workaholic mentality from the ground up,” Morreall told W&M News. “Work is our highest value, and anything we associate with play is viewed as not accomplishing anything.”
Morreall has published five books and more than 50 articles on humor. He has worked on more than 500 programs for business, medical and professional groups.
Tickets are not required to attend, but due to limited space, the college asks that attendees RSVP here https://www.wm.edu/lecture.
