The Power of Laughter: How Humor Affects Brain Activity

What part of the brain shows increased activation when people watch amusing film clips?

A. Right prefrontal cortex

B. Left prefrontal cortex

C. Occipital lobe

Answer:

B. Left prefrontal cortex

When researchers measured EEG activity of participants watching amusing film clips, people showed more activation in the left prefrontal cortex. The left prefrontal cortex plays a key role in cognitive processes related to speech production, processing language, and preparing responses.

The left ventrolateral prefrontal cortex, located in the left prefrontal cortex, is crucial for the processing of words and sentences. It is essential for language comprehension and response preparation.

So, when individuals watch humorous film clips, the increased activation in the left prefrontal cortex suggests that the brain is actively engaged in processing the humor and generating responses to the comedic content.