giggling

Giggling is a form of laughter characterized by light, quick, sometimes high-pitched vocalizations that are often less forceful than a full laugh. The sounds are typically breathy and may be repeated in rapid succession, and they frequently accompany feelings of amusement, embarrassment, or nervous relief. Giggling is common in humans across ages, though it is particularly prevalent in children, who often use it in social play and when players are teasing or tickling each other.

Giggling serves social functions: it can signal affiliative intent, ease tension, and foster bonding within groups. The contagious nature of giggling means that hearing others giggle often prompts a similar response, reinforcing social cohesion.

Triggers vary from light humor and playful teasing to tickling or sudden relief after stress. Cultural norms influence when giggling is considered appropriate; in some settings it is welcomed as a sign of warmth, while in formal contexts it may be judged as frivolous.

Physiologically, giggling involves controlled yet spontaneous vocalization and facial expressions, with less sustained breath control than other forms of laughter. In some medical or neurological conditions, excessive or inappropriate giggling can occur, such as in pseudobulbar affect, or as a symptom in certain developmental or psychiatric contexts.

In culture, giggling appears in literature, film, and everyday speech as a marker of playfulness and lightheartedness.