Author Archives: knlistman

No one wants to laugh alone

Posted on April 1, 2015 by knlistman

 Just beyond the door of my office a photographer was setting up a lights. He was also chatting with everyone who passed by. Finally he got down to the business of spreading out the tripods that held the lights. Then, … Continue reading →

Posted in Group psychology, Laughter and humor | Leave a comment

A proper repartee

Posted on March 25, 2015 by knlistman

The group of women sat around a table, discussing their mother’s instructions on being a “Southern Lady.” In their storytelling manner they competed with each to relate the most outlandish piece of advice. “I never could understand that bit about … Continue reading →

Posted in Creativity, Laughter and humor | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

But am I funny?

Posted on March 10, 2015 by knlistman

There are advantages to being considered humorous, even if you do not want to spend your life in front of an audience as a comedian. People who communicate with humor are often perceive as being more socially attractive and more … Continue reading →

Posted in Education trends, Laughter and humor | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Laughter and learning

Posted on March 3, 2015 by knlistman

Imagine two different college classes: in one the instructors is always logical and serious; and in the other the instructor throws in frequent jokes only tangentially related the subject. In which class do students learn more? According to research it … Continue reading →

Posted in Creativity, Education trends, Laughter and humor | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

No laughing matter

Posted on February 24, 2015 by knlistman

The support shown for the people killed in the attack on Charlie Hebdo’s office appeared wide spread throughout the news. Candle light vigils, crowds proclaiming “Je suis Charlie.” It would almost seem like a great show of solidarity. But of … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

He laughs, she laughs

Posted on February 10, 2015 by knlistman

  Once I heard a bit of advice spoken by one adolescent boy to another. “Do you want to know if a girl likes you? Tell a really stupid joke, the stupider the better. If she laughs, she likes you.” It has been … Continue reading →

Posted in Group psychology, Laughter and humor | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

The giggling girls have power

Posted on January 27, 2015 by knlistman

Why can’t we be all like adolescent girls, and laugh more? The topic of the discussion thread caught my attention. Evidently girls between the ages of 11 and 18 all over the world laugh more than any other group. In … Continue reading →

Posted in Group psychology, Laughter and humor, Manipulation | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

The unprincipled conformist

Posted on January 20, 2015 by knlistman

The rebel with a cause is one of favorite heroic types in fiction. But the “foil” of the principled nonconformist, the unprincipled conformist, is also a common antagonist. What makes this character so villainous? Conformity requires that a person at … Continue reading →

Posted in Creativity, Group psychology | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Rebel with a cause

Posted on January 8, 2015 by knlistman

As much as people may be willing to mimic the behavior and appearance of others in order to fit in, secretly they often envy those who show intentional dissent. According research  we admire the person who has the guts to … Continue reading →

Posted in Group psychology, Story structure, Writer's resource | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Technological component

Posted on January 6, 2015 by knlistman

Over the past few weeks I’ve been looking a psychological with an eye to creating realistic characters. Frequently I’ve been hearing a lot about how the millennial generation is different from other generations.  I really have not found any creditable research … Continue reading →

Posted in Education trends, Technology in education | Tagged , , | Leave a comment