Jul 29, 2013 09:10 AM EDT By Staff Reporter, UniversityHerald Reporter

Women like dating men who can make them laugh and are predisposed to find them attractive, according to a study conducted by researchers from Stanford University School of Medicine. The findings are published in the journal Social Neuroscience, said.

 The study found that women's' brains showed superior activity than men's in reward-related regions while reacting to a joke.

The researchers arrived at the conclusion after they scanned brains of 22 girls and boys aged six to 13 as they watched funny video clips including 'people falling over and animals performing tricks.'

They also made them view 'positive' clips (dancers and snowboarders) and neutral clips (nature videos and children riding bikes). Children were also asked whether they enjoyed watching the videos and how funny they found them.

During funny clips, girls' brains showed greater activity than the boys' in certain brain areas including the midbrain and amygdala. This indicates that girls experienced stronger delight and positive feelings. On the other hand, the boys' brains showed a stronger response when they watched positive clips.

The findings also indicate that choosing a life partner based on humor is more prominent in women because 'the female brain, and particularly the reward circuit, is biologically better prepared to respond accordingly'.

"Our data for the first time disclose that sex differences in humor appreciation already exist in young children", said study researchers.

The finding also supports the idea that women have evolved to appreciate humor, whereas men have evolved to produce it. It is also estimated that women test a man's genetic fitness as an appropriate partner and potential father through his ability to make people laugh.

The authors said that this is a first of its kind study to establish a link between gender-related brain differences in response to humour in children.

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