Why Do We Clap? | Smartest Year Ever (Feb 18, 2025)

Why do we clap instead of, say, snorting like a pig? 🤔 Applause is so universal that even babies do it without being taught—but where did it start? Turns out, clapping has a deep history, from Roman toga waves to professional clappers hired to make performances seem like a bigger hit.

Ancient Rome had elite squads of applauders, and in 18th-century France, claqueurs were literally paid to clap—or boo if they weren’t compensated. Even Emperor Nero had 5,000 professional clappers ensuring his performances were well-received. But is applause hardwired into us? Some scientists think it’s connected to how chimps drum on trees and how humans synchronize in crowds.

So next time you're clapping, just remember—you’re basically a fancier, less arboreal chimp. 🐵👏

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Sources:

• Goldhill, O. (2016). Why do humans clap? Quartz.

• Macaulay, R. (2009). The Secret Lives of Plays. Nick Hern Books.

• Wilson, E. (2006). Theatre Experience and Audience Reception in Antiquity. Cambridge University Press.

• Iverson, J. M., & Fagan, M. K. (2004). Infant rhythmic movement and communication. Developmental Science.

• Bieber, M. (1961). The History of the Greek and Roman Theater. Princeton University Press.