FUN Articles

Human Motivation from Desmond Morris - an informative look at the functions of playfulness in human motivation (.pdf file - requires Acrobat Reader)
Enactive: on play and cognitive systems
"Humor, Laughter and the Brain" does happiness reside in the nucleus accumbens?
Dee Dickinson's article "Humour and Multiple Intelligences" in New Horizons for Learning brings fun to Gardner's theories.

Play Your Way to a Better Life: intelligent overview of the benefits of play
Of Fun and Grief from Adrienne Wolf Zitsow
Emotions and Health: the Importance of Fun from Denise Guilbert
Come Play With Me reminiscences and recommendations by Phylameana lila Desy
Laughter: it's good medicine from Better Homes and Gardens
"More psychologists are finding that discrete uses of humor promote healing in their patients" by Patrick A. McGuire in the APA Monitor
The Healing and Magic Power of Laughter an interview with Dr. William Fry
Laughter may be the best medicine for hives a report on research by Hajime Kimata, MD, PhD
Whoever Laughs...Lasts: John Jones looks at health and laughter (and v.v.)
AA on fun: a quote from the "Big Book"
Play & Humor a collection of readings of interest to any Funiatrist, adapted from IN CONTEXT #13, Spring 1986
Rats Tickled Pink with New Rodent Laughter, from the Athens Daily News, honestly
Coping can be Child's Play: a seminal study about play and pain and children's dentistry.

Where have all the players gone? by Dr. Olga Jarrett
The Responsive Community by Dr. Amitai Etzioni
Humor in the Holocast: Its Critical, Cohesive, and Coping Functions from John Morreall, Ph.D
Make Learning Fun: on learning and flow by Jon Jenkins and Gerrit Visser
On Kids and Sports: a manifesto from Jay Coakley
Marielle Visser teaches Computer Zen
"The Fun of Telling Stories": Glory Ressler on "flow" and story telling
"Modeling the Structure of the Flow Experience Among Web Users" Novak, Hoffman and Yung bring Csikszentmihalyi's Flow model to the Web.
Playing Dumb: Marc Bekoff observes the strategic value of playing dumb. Bekoff is a researcher into animal and human play behavior. See also his studies on "Social play behaviour: cooperation, fairness, trust and the evolution of morality," and "Play Signals as Punctuation: The Structure of Social Play in Canids"
Helping Adults Learn to Play: a sample chapter from Playful Activities for Powerful Presentations, turns out to have a lot to say about facilitating games sessions.
Play & Humor a collection of readings of interest to any Funiatrist, adapted from IN CONTEXT #13, Spring 1986
Young Love is a children's perspective on the nature of loving.

Heroic Humor - Here's "the story of Alfa Foxtrot 586" as found in Chapter Eight of Dennis N. T. Perkin's brilliant Leading at the Edge
"Going to school with 'FISH' Happy employees can save companies more than a few fins" - an article about some actual success in bringing fun to work
Putting Fun into Work - a strategic vision from Terra Nova
Puzzling - a communication game
'Good Work': Where Ethics and Professionalism Meet - Howard Gardner reports on his research into the joys of doing a good job.
If I'm having fun I can't really be working, can I? from Catherine Ripplinger Fenwick on her Online Laugher Therapy Center
Should Your Job be Fun? An interview with the author of said same
Lighten Up: Tips for having more fun at work
Having Fun at Work: from Lori Block
Fun Work: an interview with major Glidersleeve
Why we need fun: from Jeffrey Cufaude "Cultivating New Leadership", Association Management. January 1, 2000

Spirit of the Game from the Ultimate Players' Association describes a promising form of conscious competition
What is a Puzzle? Puzzle designer Scott Kim discusses the puzzling functions of fun
"Complexification" Playground designer Jay Beckwith reflects on his learnings at the Deep Fun at Esalen 2001 session
Rock, Scissors, Paper examined.
Brolf, Brockey and Plunger Ball: from "The Importance of Having Fun" by Todd Nelson in the Christian Science Monitor
Bill Russell on Well-Played Games, the Celtics superstar talks about transcendence
An Inuit Version of Hesse's Glass Bead Game: story telling-games genuinely around the actual world
Fun At Work Day: some novel ideas for celebrating April Fun's Day, any day.
New Games for the Business School: a few deep thoughts on college, kids, business and fun from a teacher of said sam