Humor e Saúde: Uma abordagem hegemônica

ABSTRACT

Humor is a phenomenon little investigated in Brazil and, moreover, involves cognitive, emotional, social and physiological aspects. Some studies point out that humor influences the physiological response and vice versa, but the evidence is still limited. The data found are more oriented to humor as social participation and coping mechanisms whereas the findings for health, immunity and physiology are more rare. The objective of this work was to describe how the humors, positive and negative, are related to the physiological effects of the human body. Study 1 aimed to validate the scale for the Brazil Scale of the Humor Style Questionnaire – HSQ – by Martin et al, (2003), which evaluates four dimensions (N = 424). Of these, only 3 emerge in Brazil. It was explained by cultural issues. Study 2, laboratory, had 96 participants (82% women and 18% men) filled the scale that evaluates three dimensions regarding individual differences in mood uses. They are: Use of humor to improve oneself (selfimprovement) and to improve their relationship with the other (affiliation) and use of humor to improve relationships to the detriment of others (self-destructive) and, for biochemical markers, Serum levels of Cortisol, Ferritin, Vitamin D, C-Reactive Protein-PCR, Complete Blood Count, Glucose, Thyroid-TSH-Free Thyroxine, Free T4 Thyroxine, and Tri-Tythronine Total-T3t. The results indicate that Auto Enhanced Humor is related to the high glycemic marker as well as that of Ferritin, whereas Affiliative Humor correlated with the decrease of neutrophils as well as the increase of the hormone T3t and TSH and Self-destructive Humor was shown to be linked to the increase lymphocytes. Some results corroborate the literature found, although most refuse them. This fact leads to new reflections that are covered throughout the project.

KEYWORDS:

Key words: Humor, Mood sense, immunity