How Comedic Videos Can Improve Short-Term Focus
Various mental health issues are prevalent in modern society. In 2024, 23.4% of American adults reported that they have experienced mental health issues, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Although symptoms for individuals and types of mental illnesses differ, it is common for mental illnesses to affect one’s cognitive function and quality of life. This common mental health crisis worldwide led researchers in Japan to look at watching short comedic videos as a potential solution. They have found that watching short comedic videos and laughing improves short-term focus.
This study experimented whether short term attention and speed on a given test changed using the Digit Vigilance Test (DVT), along with measuring physiological changes, such as heart rate, blood flow to the brain, and change in mood. The subjects of the study took the test before and after watching a short 4 minute comedic video. There was a significant increase in the scores of the DVT, showing that there is a positive relationship between watching a comedic video and short term attention and speed. However, there were no significant differences found in physiological aspects. In other words, even though there were no observed physiological differences, watching short comedic videos and laughing can help improve short term attention.
This study experimented whether short term attention and speed on a given test changed using the Digit Vigilance Test (DVT), along with measuring physiological changes, such as heart rate, blood flow to the brain, and change in mood. The subjects of the study took the test before and after watching a short 4 minute comedic video. There was a significant increase in the scores of the DVT, showing that there is a positive relationship between watching a comedic video and short term attention and speed. However, there were no significant differences found in physiological aspects. In other words, even though there were no observed physiological differences, watching short comedic videos and laughing can help improve short term attention.
Watching short comedic videos showed an increasing trend in short term attention.
Image Source: Yousaf Bhutta
Researchers also concluded that the short comedic videos may also reduce psychological stress, which is a natural, automatic bodily response resulting from various difficult experiences. Stress affects the entire body: muscles can tense up, heart rate can increase, different hormones could be released, and more, according to the American Psychological Association. The study measured changes in five salivary stress biomarkers by collecting participant’s saliva before and after watching short comedic videos. Salivary stress biomarkers are tools that can measure the intensity of stress quickly. The results showed that there was a significant difference between the activity of one biomarker, α-amylase, before and after watching a comedic video although the other four did not show any significant differences. α-amylase is a known indicator of stress and reacts relatively quickly. This suggests that watching short comedic videos potentially helped decrease or prevent stress levels from increasing during the DVT administered.
The subjects of the study were middle-aged Japanese individuals, so the results may differ with another population with a different age range or ethnicity. Still, this study suggests that there are clinical benefits of humor as a potential treatment of certain mental health issues.
The subjects of the study were middle-aged Japanese individuals, so the results may differ with another population with a different age range or ethnicity. Still, this study suggests that there are clinical benefits of humor as a potential treatment of certain mental health issues.
Featured Image Source: OmarMedinaFilms
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