Have you noticed that sense of fulfillment after you do something real silly, and your significant other just gets it? Like an informal matching test, it instantly indicates you’re on the right track. Moira Smith, an anthropologist at Indiana University Bloomington, has said that jokes and pranks "are designed to show off the strength of the relationship by testing that relationship." Because “you have to know a person pretty well to know their foibles and what is guaranteed to get their goat." That’s why most lovebirds and BFFs tend to laugh at each other like there’s no tomorrow.
Bored Panda contacted Gil Greengross, an evolutionary psychologist and behavioral scientist at Aberystwyth University, in a bid to find out about the magic fun and humor brings to our relationships. The professor believes it’s a fundamental thing: “humor is very important for attracting mates and when in a relationship.”
Women tend to look for a sense of humor in a partner more often than men. “Women are attracted to men with a sense of humor while men usually want a partner that will laugh at their humor.” In a study conducted with 3,000 married couples from 5 countries, “both husbands and wives were found to be happier with a humorous partner.”
Having the same sense of humor is among the key criteria for the success of a long-term relationship. Prof. Greengross told us that “couples tend to share similar humor, otherwise there is a mismatch that can make their relationship a bit awkward if one partner tells jokes and the other one doesn’t laugh.” So it’s true—humor does put our love to the test. Interestingly, according to the evolutionary psychologist, “couples with fewer children laugh more, compared to couples with a larger number of children.”
