Social laughter in preschool children: Dataset, analysis scripts and supporting materials.

The full dataset, analysis scripts and preprint from our study of social laughter in preschool children.<br><br>Abstract<br>======<br>Surprisingly little research has investigated social laughter in preschool children. We studied children’s responses to amusing video clips in the presence or absence of peers. The sample consisted of 9 boys and 11 girls aged 2-4 who watched three cartoons under three different conditions, either individually, in pairs or in groups of 6-8. The social conditions showed significantly higher the numbers of laughs and smiles than individual viewing. Children laughed eight times as much and smiled almost three times as much in company. No differences were found between pairs and groups and no association was found between subjective funniness ratings and group size. This suggests that presence of even a single social partner can change behaviour in response to humorous material and that it is the sociability of the situation, rather than its humour, that elicits laughter.<br>