Am I Normal?emotions
My first reaction when someone trips or falls is to laugh — followed immediately by guilt
Laughing at someone falling is an involuntary response to incongruity — the sudden mismatch between expected and actual events. The brain processes it as surprising before it processes it as potentially harmful. The guilt arrives a split-second later as the social evaluation system catches up. Both responses are automatic.
Have you ever done this?
Be honest — have you ever done this?
Related fact
Laughter at embarrassment — known as 'gelotophilia' in extreme forms — appears to be partially heritable. Studies on twins show that the tendency to laugh at misfortune has a genetic component.