Why do children across the world find the Simpsons funny?
That is just one of the questions being considered by researchers from five countries who are looking into what makes children laugh. University of Ulster researcher Maire Messenger-Davies is joining academics from Germany, Israel, South Africa and the US in the year-long project. They have begun to compile “funny” material – primarily from television programmes – which they will show to children aged between eight and 12 from selected schools in each country. Specialists from the funding body, the Munich-based International Institute for the Study of Youth and Media, will measure their mirth using a “fun-o-meter”. We want to see what humour crosses national boundaries and what is specific to certain countries or cultures Maire Messenger-Davies University of Ulster Afterwards, the children will be asked what they thought and these responses will be analysed. Professor Messenger-Davies said the project aimed to “determine what children laugh at and whether there are national or cultural
