. ▁In ▁the ▁case ▁of ▁hum our , ▁it ▁was ▁associated ▁with ▁m irth ▁( has ya ). ▁ ▁Studies ▁on ▁com ic ▁theory ▁ ▁The ▁phen omena ▁connected ▁with ▁laugh ter ▁and ▁that ▁which ▁prov okes ▁it ▁have ▁been ▁carefully ▁investig ated ▁by ▁psych olog ists . ▁They ▁agree ▁the ▁pre domin ant ▁characteristics ▁are ▁incon gru ity ▁or ▁contrast ▁in ▁the ▁object ▁and ▁shock ▁or ▁emot ional ▁se iz ure ▁on ▁the ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁subject . ▁It ▁has ▁also ▁been ▁held ▁that ▁the ▁feeling ▁of ▁superior ity ▁is ▁an ▁essential ▁factor : ▁thus ▁Thomas ▁Hob bes ▁speak s ▁of ▁laugh ter ▁as ▁a ▁" s ud den ▁glory ". ▁Modern ▁investig ators ▁have ▁paid ▁much ▁attention ▁to ▁the ▁origin ▁both ▁of ▁laugh ter ▁and ▁of ▁sm iling , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁the ▁development ▁of ▁the ▁" play ▁instinct " ▁and ▁its ▁emot ional ▁expression . ▁ ▁George ▁Mer ed ith ▁said ▁that ▁" One ▁excellent ▁test ▁of ▁the ▁civil ization ▁of ▁a ▁country ▁... ▁I ▁take ▁to ▁be ▁the ▁fl our ishing ▁of ▁the ▁Com ic ▁idea ▁and ▁Com edy , ▁and ▁the ▁test ▁of ▁true ▁Com edy ▁is ▁that ▁it ▁shall ▁aw aken ▁thought ful ▁laugh ter ." ▁L augh ter ▁is ▁said ▁to ▁be ▁the ▁c ure ▁for ▁being ▁sick . ▁Studies ▁show ▁that ▁people ▁who ▁laugh ▁more ▁often ▁get ▁sick ▁less . ▁ ▁American ▁literary ▁the or ist ▁Kenneth ▁Bur ke ▁writes ▁that ▁the ▁" com ic ▁frame " ▁in ▁r het or ic ▁is ▁" ne