# Why do females giggle for no apparant reason? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 7, 2008, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-females-giggle-for-no-apparant-reason/440392 "2008-03-07T00:21:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Squarebubble1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Squarebubble1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squarebubble1)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2008, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-females-giggle-for-no-apparant-reason/440392/21 "2008-03-08T19:28:43Z")
[QUOTE=Grammanaut] I think the giggling is evenly spread between the sexes, we just call it different things depending on who’s giggling. Like someone else said above - a lower-pitched giggle is more often called a chuckle. As a recent example, I spent three hours in a bus with a gang of teen boys a few days ago. There was no end to the (often manic) giggling. So I think it’s a question of semantics, really. [/QUOTE] I can’t say I agree…for one, giggling has historically been a feminine trait (like the stereotypical airhead bimbos back in the day). Also, guys will usually curtail after a couple of good “ha-ha”'s, and rarely to almost anything. Can’t say that for girls. ---
**Author:** ![Squarebubble1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Squarebubble1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squarebubble1)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2008, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-females-giggle-for-no-apparant-reason/440392/22 "2008-03-08T19:29:55Z")
[QUOTE=lobotomyboy63] I’d like to know why after some girls/women laugh hard, they “fan” themselves. [/QUOTE] Hot flashes? ---
**Author:** ![Squarebubble1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Squarebubble1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squarebubble1)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2008, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-females-giggle-for-no-apparant-reason/440392/23 "2008-03-08T19:33:09Z")
[QUOTE=Athena] :dubious: Every boyfriend I’ve ever had giggled. Trust me, I know how to make 'em giggle. [/QUOTE] I dunno - in my neighborhood it was a sign of weakness for guys to tee-hee. ---
**Author:** ![Squarebubble1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Squarebubble1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squarebubble1)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2008, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-females-giggle-for-no-apparant-reason/440392/24 "2008-03-08T19:36:33Z")
[QUOTE=Hostile Dialect] My dad will say something terrible about someone or something (sometimes the person he’s talking to) and then force out a laugh, as if to make it seem not as bad. Remember the paramilitia gun nut in Bowling for Columbine who Mr. Moore interviewed in the guy’s house and who would say something really wacko about the government and then force out a laugh? Just like that. It’s really creepy. [/QUOTE] It’s not really the same thing; that response is more of “I head you, but can’t believe what you said” kind of thing. ---
**Author:** ![ratatoskK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ratatoskk/32/2987_2.png) [@ratatoskK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ratatoskK)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2008, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-females-giggle-for-no-apparant-reason/440392/25 "2008-03-08T19:40:40Z")
When my son is with his friends they sound like Beavis and Butthead. I think that’s the male equivalent of giggling. Their voices are lower so it sounds different. ---
**Author:** ![Walpurgis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/7ea924/32.png) [@Walpurgis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walpurgis)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2008, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-females-giggle-for-no-apparant-reason/440392/26 "2008-03-08T19:40:55Z")
You might also want to take geography and culture into consideration. One trait might be percieved as very common in one corner of the world, while completely alien in another. What is coded as masculine/feminine behaviour is very different depending on where you are. Giggling can mean different things depending on culture. Who does the giggling in a certain culture can depend on gender, age, social group and more. Et cetera. As with most human behaviours. ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2008, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-females-giggle-for-no-apparant-reason/440392/27 "2008-03-08T19:45:00Z")
[QUOTE=Squarebubble1] I can’t say I agree…for one, giggling has historically been a feminine trait (like the stereotypical airhead bimbos back in the day). Also, guys will usually curtail after a couple of good “ha-ha”'s, and rarely to almost anything. Can’t say that for girls. [/QUOTE] I’ll add that guys tend to giggle/chuckle/laugh because _they think something is funny_. I think the OP is asking about girls _giggling about everything_. ETA: Ah, you _are_ the OP. :smack: So I’m agreeing with you 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-females-giggle-for-no-apparant-reason/440392.md?page=1)