Carlos Solis
Researchers at the University of Göttingen in Germany have explored how to keep a straight face when something suddenly strikes you as funny in an inappropriate situation—like during a serious conversation, a meeting, or a somber event.
The team warned that attempts to forcibly suppress laughter may only intensify the urge to laugh.
According to the study, the inability to maintain a poker face can even “harm your reputation, damage professional relationships, and provoke social disapproval.”
A poker face—a term from the game of poker—refers to an emotionless, impassive facial expression.
In their report, the researchers wrote, “In situations where laughter is socially inappropriate, the inability to control it can lead to serious interpersonal or reputational consequences.”
Because laughter is contagious and often involuntary, controlling it isn’t just self-regulation—it’s a socially important skill.
How Was the Research Conducted?
The team conducted three experiments involving 121 participants, as reported by Daily Mail. Participants listened to short jokes while researchers recorded their subtle muscle reactions linked to smiling and laughter using facial electromyography. These signals are not visible to the naked eye.
During the experiments, participants were asked to: a) suppress laughter by focusing on bright wallpaper; b) try to control their facial expressions; c) use a method called reappraisal, which involves reinterpreting the jokes in a less humorous light.
Analysis showed that methods of suppressing facial expressions and distraction were quite effective in combating the urge to laugh.
However, suppressing visible emotional reactions in social situations can increase internal stress or discomfort, the study found. They also found that when another person’s laughter was added to the mix, it became even harder to suppress one’s own facial expressions.
“The presence of another person’s laughter significantly impaired participants’ ability to suppress their own facial reactions,” the researchers wrote.
“When I heard someone else laugh, it was much harder for me to hold back my own laughter. This just confirms how much our emotional reactions depend on the presence of others and how deeply social we are as beings,” said Professor Anna Schacht, the lead author of the study.
As her team found, the best way to prevent inappropriate laughter is reappraisal of the situation. For example, by thinking about why something is funny, one can turn a joke into a puzzle to solve.
