Science explains why comedies are funnier when you see them in a crowded theater.

Photo: flickr/jernstWe've all experienced it: the same movie is so much funnier when you see it on opening night with a group of friends compared to watching the DVD by yourself. What causes this difference? Here, a group of psychologists tested the idea that it's knowing that you are part of a group watching a movie or looking at photos that makes emotions like humor more intense. They found that indeed, having members of one's group (for example, other students at the same college) watching the same thing caused participants to view happy videos as happier and sad videos as sadder. This effect even held when the other members were not physically present, but were known to be watching at the same time online. So, the next time you cancel a movie date at last minute, do your friend a favor and tell them you're watching it online anyway. Even ...