The origins of applause

[smckee]

can anyone tell me the origins of applause? Why do we clap more slowly if we are dissatisfied?

[bernardo]

(a) to break up the rhythm of the music after it has finished, so that the rhythm does not continue in one's head and thereby interfere with the next bit of music
(b) enthusiasm means enthusiastic clapping; dissatisfaction means slower and less energetic clapping. If people are really unhappy, they might tend to continue clapping anyway (because they do not want to appear killjoyish) but the laziness of the process means that people end up subconsciously clapping in time with other people, hence a slow uniform protesty-clap.

[Haggisdj]

I remember seeing chimpanzees and the like doing it in the wild on nature programmes. I wondered then if clapping came from our pre-historic roots.

[flano]

This slow clapping that has been called "protestish" is in fact, in hungary, a signal from the audience that they want more. Food for thought. But my guess is that clapping at the end of a performance is to fill the void  the end to carry on the creshendo experienced. Using your voice seems maybe like competing with the performer and in a manner of speaking rude. So a mechanical way of producing sound with your hands has developed over the years.