We all have that one friend who can make us laugh without even trying. Maybe it’s a perfectly timed comment, a ridiculous shared memory, or a look across the room that sends you both into fits of giggles.

While we might assume that close friendships depend on having a lot in common, a new survey suggests that sharing a sense of humor could be even more important.

Finding someone who appreciates our terrible jokes might be a pretty good place to start.

A Good Laugh Goes a Long Way

A recent friendship survey from Britain’s Institute of Practitioners in Advertising asked 1,000 adults aged 18 to 40 living in urban areas what qualities they valued in close friends.

The results put humor firmly at the top of the list. Nearly half of the respondents said sharing a sense of humor was important. 

That was followed by common interests and hobbies at 37%. Shared lifestyle habits came in at 28%, while similar personalities and communication styles ranked lower. In other words, we might not need to enjoy all the same things to get along great.

We Don’t Have to Be Exactly Alike

Think about some of your closest friendships. Perhaps one of you loves staying home with a good book while the other is always planning the next adventure. Or, maybe your taste in music couldn’t be more different.

Those differences don’t stop us from enjoying each other’s company. The IPA findings suggest that friendship isn’t simply about finding someone whose life mirrors our own.

We might disagree about movies, have completely different hobbies, or approach everyday situations differently. But, if we can laugh together, we’ve already found something worth sharing.

Women Are Especially Fond of a Good Laugh

The survey also uncovered an interesting difference between men and women. Among the female respondents, 55% said a shared sense of humor was an important friendship quality, compared with 42% of male respondents.

That doesn’t mean men don’t appreciate a good joke, of course. Humor was popular in both groups.

Still, the findings suggest that laughter plays an important role in how women think about their friendships. And, really, who doesn’t appreciate having someone to call when life gets a little ridiculous?

Friendship Is About More Than Shared Interests

There’s also research suggesting that laughter helps people connect. A study from University College London and Oxford University found that people who laughed were more likely to share personal information with others.

Researchers suggested that laughter may help people open up without even realizing it.

And that makes sense when we think about our own friendships. Sometimes, the people we’re most comfortable with aren’t necessarily the ones who share all our interests. They’re the ones who make it easy to relax and be ourselves.

Maybe Laughter Is the Best Icebreaker

Of course, a shared sense of humor isn’t the only ingredient in a good friendship. Kindness, reliability, and being there when someone needs us are important, too.

But, the IPA survey offers a cheerful reminder that friendships don’t require matching personalities or identical interests.

Sometimes, all it takes is finding someone who laughs at the same ridiculous things we do. And if they appreciate all our bad jokes? Well, we might have found a keeper.

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