How Often Do You Clap?
By M. K. Albus
@MKAlubs (455)
United States
January 30, 2018 3:55pm CST
Are you an exuberant clapper? Have you ever noticed that babies and infants and toddlers know how to clap their hands without ever being taught? Clapping is a natural human bodily function. It's an expression of joy and appreciation.
As we mature and grow older our clapping becomes less natural and more in line with expected social conventions. There are certain times when clapping is allowed. Sometimes we don't clap unless others are clapping. Sometimes our clapping is very restrained and practically quiet. It can become a mere gesture rather than a full-blown expression. Sometimes to emphasize our clapping we stand up. As an adult there are actually social protocols for clapping. And premature clapping is frowned upon, as is excessive clapping. Sometimes refusing to clap is a very negative statement. The nature of clapping can actually get political. And clapping for no apparent reason can be seen as a little cuckoo.
How often do you clap? Have you ever stopped to think about how you clap? Is it a natural bodily reaction or is it a gesture of social convention? And do little children clapping make you want to clap? How do you feel about clapping?
10 people like this
13 responses
@taciaelisepeace (1809)
• United States
30 Jan 18
I've never paid attention to when I clap or clapping in general until my daughter learned how to clap at 6 months. She is now 8 months and loves to clap all the time so I enjoy clapping with her.
5 people like this
@MKAlubs (455)
• United States
30 Jan 18
I may be wrong about this but I think that the more we clap, the more we have reason to clap. We clap to appreciate something but we also clap to bring something on. (Or to turn on lights.) Sometimes two quick claps is a signal for something to begin. Now there's another reason to clap.
2 people like this
@MKAlubs (455)
• United States
30 Jan 18
I've noticed that I clap a lot more when I am around my two granddaughters. They clap all the time and it seems to affect me and make me clap more. I guess it's important to have small children in our lives. They help us see that there is so much to clap about.
3 people like this
@kobesbuddy (78885)
• East Tawas, Michigan
31 Jan 18
When I see a child clap, I sometimes join in to make them smile:) When music is filled with a wonderful beat, I always clap along. In church, we use to clap along with the peppier music that was played.
3 people like this
@MKAlubs (455)
• United States
31 Jan 18
Thank you so much for your response, @kobesbuddy . You've made me see clapping in a whole new light. We smile with our faces but we can also smile with our hands. And it is not only about smiling but drawing out smiles in others. Smiles, clapping, and music go so well together. I cannot imagine a world without music just as I cannot imagine a world without clapping. We live and express through our bodies and our smiles and clapping and dancing help to keep the planet turning around. Right on!
1 person likes this
@MKAlubs (455)
• United States
31 Jan 18
@kobesbuddy Yes, kind of like how yawning is contagious.
2 people like this
@kobesbuddy (78885)
• East Tawas, Michigan
31 Jan 18
@MKAlubs It's a joyful gesture, one that's very contagious, too:)
1 person likes this
@1hopefulman (45120)
• Canada
2 Feb 18
I like to clap when something delights me, such as when I see a beautiful sunset or someone does something nice. Praise God!
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (336991)
• Rockingham, Australia
30 Jan 18
I guess mostly I only clap when others do. However we have a bit of a convention here if someone 'can you give me a hand' the other(s) might start to clap then go to help him. 'Give them a hand' is often the command at a meeting whatever to give a round of applause.
3 people like this
@Hannihar (130222)
• Israel
4 Mar 18
Yes, I have seen them clap their hands without knowing. I do not clap very much.
@anikoonline (3250)
• Hungary
22 Feb 18
I rarely clap. It is a natural reaction, but not mine. I only clap at the theatre or at concerts.