New psychology research shows how the fear of being laughed at impedes success in romantic relationships

A new study offers evidence that sensitivity to laughter can thwart a person’s success in romantic relationships and is linked to insecure attachment. The findings were published in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships.

Gelotophobia is a social phobia characterized by an excessive fear of being laughed at. People with these tendencies are oversensitive to laughter and often misconstrue passing sounds of laughter as ridicule directed at themselves. As might be expected, gelotophobia has been linked to difficulty within romantic relationships. …

By Beth Ellwood, PsyPost.org