In Memoriam – Robert R. Provine, Ph.D.

Research Professor and Professor Emeritus

Education

  • Ph.D. Psychology — Washington University (St. Louis), 1971

Area of Study

  • Developmental neuroscience, neuroethology, laughter/humor, group behavior

Courses Taught

  • Introductory psychology, Developmental Psychology, Physiological Psychology,
  • Comparative Psychology, Sensation and Perception, Developmental Neuroscience,
  • Before We Are Born, Biological Bases of Behavior Development, Curious Behavior

Selected Publications

  • Curious Behavior: Yawning, Laughing, Hiccupping, and Beyond. R. R. Provine (Belknap/Harvard) (2012).
  • Laughter: A Scientific Investigation R. R. Provine  (Viking/Penguin) (2000).
  • The emotional eye: Scleral redness as a uniquely human cue of emotion. R. R. Provine, J. Nave-Blodgett, and M. O. Cabrera. Ethology (2013), 119, 99 3-998.
  • Tearing: Breakthrough in human emotional signaling. R. R. Provine, K. A. Krosnowski, and N. W. Brocato. Evolutionary Psychology (2009), 7, 52-56.
  • Emoticons punctuate website text messages. R. R. Provine, R. J. Spencer, and D. L. Mandell. Journal of Language and Social Psychology (2007), 26, 299-307.
  • Laughter among deaf signers. R. R. Provine and K. Emmorey. Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education (2006), 11, 403-409.
  • Laughing, tickling, and the evolution of speech and self. R. R. Provine. Current Directions in Psychological Science (2004), 13, 115-218.
  • Structural electrophysiological properties of nymphal and adult insect medicine neurosecretary cells an in Vitro analysis. R.R.Provine. Brain Research, 78 (1974) 359-376.
  • Development of spinal cord bioelectric activity in spinal chick embryos and its behavioral implications. R.R Provine. Journal of neurobiology, Vol.8 , No.3, PP 217-228. 
  • Emergence of geometric patterns in insect nerve nets: an in vitro analysis. R.R Provine. Brain Research, 80(1974) 328-334.
  • Hatching behavior of the chick (Gallus doemsticus):  Plasticity of the rotator component*- R.R Provine. Psychon, Sci., 1972, Vol.29 (1). 
  • Laughing, Smiling and Talking: Relation to sleeping and social context in humans- R.R Provine. Ethology 83, 295-305(1989). 
  • Laughter: A stereotyped human vocalization – R.R. Provine. Ethology 89, 115-124 (1991).
  • Neural correlates of embryonic motility in the chick- R.R. Provine. Brian Research, 45 (1972) 127-134.
  • Shift in the peak of the Photopic Styles-Crawford function with marked accommodation. R.R. Provine. Vision Res. Vol. 15. PP 499-507.
  • Spontaneous bioelectric activity in long term cultures of the embryonic insect central nervous system central nervous system. R.R Provine. Brain Research, 56(1973) 364-370.

Honors

  • American Association for the Advancement of Science (Fellow)
  • Association for Psychological Science (Fellow)

Writing Awards

  • Curious Behavior: Yawning, Laughing, Hiccupping, and Beyond (2012)
  • PROSE Award, Best Biomedicine and Neuroscience Book of 2012 (Association of American Publishers)
  • BEST BOOKS of 2012 (Library Journal)
  • Essay in Best American Science Writing 2006 (Anthology)
  • Essay in Best American Nonrequired Reading 2006 (Anthology)