In this questionnaire you will find descriptions of a number of situations in which you may have found yourself from time to time. For each question, please take a moment to recall a time when you were actually in such a situation. If you cannot remember such an experience, try to imagine yourself in such a situation, filling in the details in ways that reflect your own experience. Then circle the letter besides the phrase that best describes the way you have responded or would respond in such a situation.

1. If you were shopping by yourself in a distant city and you unexpectedly saw an acquaintance from school (or work), how have you responded or how would you respond?

1. I would probably not have bothered to speak to the person.
2. I would have talked to the person but wouldn't have shown much humor.
3. I would have found something to smile about in talking with him or her.
4. I would have found something to laugh about with the person.
5. I would have laughed heartily with the person.

2. If you were awakened from a deep sleep in the middle of the night by the ringing of the telephone, and it was an old friend who was just passing through town and had decided to call and say hello.

1. I wouldn't have been particularly amused.
2. I would have felt somewhat amused but would not have laughed.
3. I would have been able to laugh at something funny my friend said.
4. I would have been able to laugh and say something funny to my friend.
5. I would have laughed heartily with my friend.

3. You had accidentally hurt yourself and had to spend a few days in bed. During that time in bed, how would you have responded?

1. I would not have found anything particularly amusing.
2. I would have smiled occasionally.
3. I would have smiled a lot and laughed from time to time.
4. I would have found quite a lot to laugh about.
5. I would have laughed heartily much of the time.

4. When you have been engaged in some lengthy physical activity (e.g., swimming, hiking, skiing (and you and your friends find yourselves to be completely exhausted...)

1. I wouldn't have found it particularly amusing.
2. I would have been amused, but wouldn't have shown it outwardly.
3. I would have smiled.
4. I would have found quite a lot to laugh about.
5. I would have laughed heartily much of the time.

5. If you arrived at a party and found that someone else was wearing a piece of clothing identical to yours...

1. I wouldn't have found it particularly amusing.
2. I would have been amused but wouldn't have shown it outwardly.
3. I would have smiled.
4. I would have laughed.
5. I would have laughed heartily.

6. If a friend gave you a puzzle to solve and you found, much to your friend's surprise, that you were able to solve it very quickly...

1. I wouldn't have found it particularly amusing.
2. I wouldn't have been amused, but wouldn't have shown it outwardly.
3. I would have smiled.
4. I would have laughed.
5. I would have laughed heartily.

7. On days when you've had absolutely no responsibilities or engagements, and you've decided to do something you really enjoy with some friends, to what extent would you have responded with humor during that day?

1. The activity we were engaged in would not have involved much smiling or laughter.
2. I would have been smiling from time to time, but wouldn't have had much occasion to laugh aloud.
3. I would have smiled frequently and laughed from time to time.
4. I would have laughed aloud quite frequently.
5. I would have laughed heartily much of the time.

8. You were traveling in a car in the winter and suddenly the car spun around on an ice patch and came to rest facing the wrong way on the opposite side of the highway. You were relieved to find that no one was hurt and no damage had been done to the car...

1. I wouldn't have found it particularly amusing.
2. I would have "smiled to myself," but wouldn't have shown my amusement outwardly.
3. I would have smiled.
4. I would have laughed.
5. I would have laughed heartily.

9. If you were watching a movie or TV program with some friends and you found one scene particularly funny, but no one else appeared to find it humorous, how would you have reacted most commonly?

1. I would have concluded that I must have misunderstood something or that it wasn't really funny.
2. I would have "smiled to myself," but wouldn't have shown my amusement outwardly.
3. I would have smiled visibly.
4. I would have laughed aloud.
5. I would have laughed heartily.

10. If you were having a romantic evening alone with someone you really liked (girlfriend, boyfriend, spouse, etc.)...

1. I probably would have tended to be quite serious in my conversation.
2. I'd have smiled occasionally, but probably wouldn't have laughed aloud much.
3. I'd have smiled frequently and laughed aloud from time to time.
4. I'd have laughed aloud quite frequently.
5. I'd have laughed heartily much of the time.

11. If you got an unexpectedly low mark on an exam and later that evening you were telling a friend about it...

1. I would not have been amused.
2. I would have been amused, but wouldn't have shown it outwardly.
3. I would have been able to smile.
4. I would have been able to laugh.
5. I would have laughed heartily.

12. You thought you recognized a friend in a crowded room. You attracted the person's attention and hurried over to him or her, but when you got there you discovered you had made a mistake and the person was a total stranger...

1. I would not have been particularly amused.
2. I would have been amused, but wouldn't have shown it outwardly.
3. I would have smiled.
4. I would have laughed.
5. I would have laughed heartily.

13. If you were eating in a restaurant with some friends and the waiter accidentally spilled a drink on you...

1. I would not have been particularly amused.
2. I would have been amused, but wouldn't have shown it outwardly.
3. I would have smiled.
4. I would have laughed.
5. I would have laughed heartily.

14. If you were crossing the street at a crosswalk and an impatient driver, who had to stop for you, honked the horn...

1. I would have not been amused.
2. I would have been amused, but wouldn't have shown it outwardly.
3. I would have smiled.
4. I would have laughed.
5. I would have laughed heartily.

15. If there had been a computer error and you had spent all morning standing in lines at various offices trying to get the problem sorted out...

1. I wouldn't have found it particularly amusing.
2. I would have been able to experience some amusement, but wouldn't have shown it.
3. I would have smiled a lot.
4. I would have laughed a lot.
5. I would have laughed heartily.

16. If the teacher announced that she or he would hand back the exams in order of grade beginning with the highest mark in the class, and your name was one of the first to be called...

1. I wouldn't have found it particularly amusing.
2. I would have been amused, but wouldn't have shown it outwardly.
3. I would have smiled.
4. I would have laughed.
5. I would have laughed heartily.

17. In the past, if your girlfriend (boyfriend) decided to break up with you becauses she or he had found someone else, and a few days later you were telling a good friend about it...

1. I wouldn't have found any humor in the situation.
2. I would have been able to experience some amusement, but wouldn't have shown it.
3. I would have been able to smile.
4. I would have been able to laugh.
5. I would have laughed quite a lot.

18. If you were eating in a restaurant with some friends and the waiter accidentally spilled some soup on one of your friends...

1. I would not have been particularly amused.
2. I would have been amused but wouldn't have shown it.
3. I would have smiled.
4. I would have laughed.
5. I would have laughed heartily.

19. In choosing your friends, how desirable do you feel it is for them to be easily amused and able to laugh in a wide variety of situations?

1. the most important characteristic I look for in a friend.
2. very desirable, but not the most important characteristic.
3. quite desirable.
4. neither desirable nor undesirable
5. not very desirable

20. How would you rate yourself in terms of your likelihood of being amused and of laughing in a wide variety of situations?

1. my most outstanding characteristic.
2. above average.
3. about average.
4. less than average.
5. very little.

21. How much do you vary from one situation to another in the extent to which you laugh or otherwise respond with humor (i.e., how much does it depend on who you are with, where you are, how you feel, etc.?

1. not at all.
2. not very much.
3. to some extent.
4. quite a lot.
5. very much so.

Tallying your score

Total Score

Press the Total Button below to add your scores.

A score of 53 or more may mean you have additional laugh protection against heart disease.