are we laughing at the situation or the sensation?

[TicklingIsLife]

...or both? I love reading all the scientific articles on why we laugh when tickled. So how much of the situation matters in if we laugh or not? If a bunch of midgets dressed up as bunnys start tickling you, are laughing because there are midgets dressed up as bunnys or the tickling feeling itself?

If one was kidnapped and tickle-tortured (i know i know its a big fantasy here, but lets be serious) would you really laugh at the tickling feeling or would it have no effect because your life is in danger?

So is it the situation that you are in that makes you laugh (is being tied up enough to make you laugh without being tickled?) or the actually physical sensation itself? or both?

Hope you get what I'm asking...

 

[NG02]

There was actually a clip floating around here(might have been from youtube) and it showed this lady who was having this couples thing in her house and one of the excercises was to walk a distance with an egg on a spoon while ur sig other tickled you then, with a stranger tickling you. If i remember correctly they only made it when they were being tickled by the stranger. So to some extent familiarity and comfort to a person plays a role in whether we laugh or not. I too am also curious about the fantasy many have of being kidnapped, I wonder could the sensation overtake the fear.

 

[WorkInProgress]

This is interesting, because I've always thought of laughter from tickling to be an involuntary reflex, but that is complicated by the fact that the relationship with the tickler affects the reaction.

 

[Lord Doctor]

The sensation causes the giggles for me. Probably both under certain circumstances.

 

[Korastus]

a bunch of midgets dressed as clowns who all tickled you

Yeah, I'd be pissed, actually. Thats just creepy.

But anyway, I think that while the situation can influence things, it's certainly the sensation causing the laughter. Without the sensation, it wouldn't be what it is.

 

[Skipadeedoodah]

Assuming you're in a friendly situation I think both -- but the tickling sensation is enough.

 

[rhiannon]

I'm laughing at the sensation, definitely.

 

[luvgirlsfeet]

for me its the sensation that gets me going