humor

• Contents

Your submission will be evaluated by our editors, who will decide if the article requires revisions.

• The British Psychological Society – Comedy
• Verywell Mind – How Humor and Laughter Improve Your Well-Being
• Exploring the Link Between Humor and Emotional Distress: The Influence of Light and Dark Humor on Depression, Anxiety, and Stress in National Center for Biotechnology Information – PubMed Central
• Indiana University of Pennsylvania – Exploring the Role of Humor in Adult Learning
• Dallas Baptist University – Exploring the Essence of Humor
• Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy – The Study of Humor in Philosophy
• Psychology Today – Comedy

• humor – Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)

humorCommunication where theA stimulus generates a sense of amusement.

In its countless vibrant forms, humor may be succinctly described as a kind of stimulus that often provokes theThe laughter reflex is an automatic motor response triggered by the synchronized activation of 15 facial muscles.muscles in a repetitive, predictable manner, often paired with changes in respiration. Applying electrical impulses to the primary elevator muscle of the upper lip, theThe zygomatic major, activated by electrical currents of different strengths, generates facial expressions that span from a subtle smile to a wide grin, extending even to the exaggerated distortions characteristic of intense laughter.

The mirth and grin of cultured individuals are frequently governed by social norms, where deliberate control takes the place of, or disrupts, genuine instinctive expression.This article focuses solely on the latter activity. When laughter is recognized as a basic reflex, certain questions arise. Motor reflexes, like the eye’s pupil contracting under bright light, are straightforward reactions to clear stimuli with evident survival benefits. Yet the involuntary tightening of 15 facial muscles, accompanied by uncontrollable sounds, appears purposeless, disconnected from the fight for survival. Laughter is a reflex, yet it stands apart by lacking any obvious biological role. It could be termed a nonessential reflex, serving only to alleviate tension.

The second point involves a notable contrast between the stimulus and the response in humorous interactions. A tap below the kneecap triggers an automatic knee jerk, where both the “stimulus” and “response” operate on the same basic physiological level, without engaging higher cognitive processes. However, the fact that an intricate mental activity like reading a funny story results in a distinct reflexive facial muscle contraction has perplexed thinkers since Plato. Unlike a lecturer, who lacks a definitive, predictable reaction to gauge whether he has persuaded his audience, a joke’s effect is far more immediate and visible.Laughter acts as a practical trial in the context of a joke.Humor stands as the sole form of communication that bridges differences, disarms tension, and connects people through shared laughter. It transcends barriers, offering a universal language that fosters understanding and joy in even the most challenging circumstances.Communication where a highly complex stimulus elicits a rigid, automatic physiological reflex response.Thus, the reaction can serve as a gauge for detecting the elusive trait known as humor—much like the Geiger counter’s click signals the presence of radioactivity. This method is unattainable in any other art form; and, given that the shift from the sublime to the absurd works both ways, analyzing humor offers insights for examining theoriginality in a broader sense.

This article explores the evolution of humor’s ideas and applications, tracing its development from Aristotle’s era to the impact of modern mass media.

The reasoning behind what makes us laugh

The spectrum of experiences that evoke laughter is vast, spanning from physical tickling to the most diverse forms of mental amusement. Despite this diversity, there is a unifying thread—a shared element of a distinct and identifiable structure that mirrors the “logic” or “grammar” of humor, so to speak. Examining a few instances will aid in deciphering this pattern.

• A masochist is someone who prefers a cold morning shower but deliberately chooses a hot one instead.

• 2. When a friend inquired about her late husband’s fate, an Englishwoman replied, “I assume the dear man is experiencing everlasting joy, though I’d prefer not to discuss such grim matters.”

• 3. A doctor reassures his patient: “Your condition is extremely severe. Statistically, just one out of ten people who contract it survives. Fortunately, you’ve come to me, as I’ve treated nine others with this illness, and none of them made it.”

• 4. Conversation in a French movie:

  “Sir, I request your permission to marry your daughter.”

  “Why not? You’ve already taken everything else.”

• 5. While the court of Louis XV was in session, a marquis came back unexpectedly from a trip. Upon stepping into his wife’s private chamber, he discovered her embracing a bishop. Pausing briefly, the marquis calmly approached the window, looked outside, and started mimicking the act of giving blessings to the passersby below.

  “What are you up to?” sobbed the distraught wife.

  “Monseigneur is carrying out my duties, which is why I am handling his.”

A masochist is someone who prefers a cold morning shower but deliberately chooses a hot one instead.

2. When a friend inquired about her late husband’s fate, an Englishwoman replied, “I assume the dear man is experiencing everlasting joy, though I’d prefer not to discuss such disagreeable matters.”

3. A doctor reassures his patient: “You’re suffering from an extremely severe illness. Statistically, just one out of every 10 people who contract it survives. Fortunately, you’ve come to me—I’ve treated nine cases of this disease recently, and sadly, none of them made it.”

“Sir, may I have your permission to marry your daughter?”

5. A nobleman in Louis XV’s court came back from a trip unannounced and, upon stepping into his wife’s private chamber, discovered her embracing a bishop. Pausing briefly, the marquis calmly approached the window, looked out, and started mimicking the act of giving blessings to the passersby below.

“Monseigneur is carrying out my duties, which is why I am handling his.”

Do these five stories share a common theme? Taking the final one as an example, a brief analysis shows that the marquis’s actions are both surprising and entirely reasonable—yet they follow a logic not typically used in such circumstances. This logic stems from the division of labor, guided by principles as ancient as society itself. However, his behavior was anticipated to align with another set of norms—the conventions of sexual ethics. The abrupt collision between these two opposing systems—or associative frameworks—creates the humor. It forces the audience to view the scenario through two coherent but contradictory perspectives simultaneously, requiring their minds to function on two distinct levels. During this rare state, the event is not merely linked to a single frame of reference, as usual, but “bisociated” with both. The termbisociationThe term was introduced by the current author to differentiate between the patterns of structured thought within a single framework—existing on one level, so to speak—and the imaginative forms of cognition that consistently engage multiple levels. In humor, both thecreationsubtle humor of a playful jest and there-creativePerceiving the joke entails the pleasurable mental jolt of an abrupt shift from one plane or associative context to another.

Examining the other instances, in the French movie conversation, the daughter’s “hand” is initially understood metaphorically before abruptly shifting to a literal, physical interpretation. The doctor operates within an abstract framework of statistical likelihoods, where the principles governing them don’t apply to specific scenarios. There’s an added layer of irony since, contrary to conventional wisdom, the patient’s chance of survival remains unchanged regardless of prior events—still standing at one in 10. This highlights a deep insight within probability theory, and the humor subtly poses a paradox, revealing an absurdity often overlooked. Meanwhile, the woman who views death as “eternal bliss” yet also “an unpleasant topic” embodies the universal struggle of balancing faith and reason. Once more, the seemingly straightforward humor resonates with unspoken depths, perceptible only to the discerning mind.

The masochist denying himself his usual self-inflicted punishment adheres to a set of principles that form areversalof those with typical reasoning. (A structure may be formed wherebothThe perspective is inverted: “A sadist is someone who treats a masochist with kindness.”) Yet there’s another layer to it. The joker isn’t genuinely convinced that the masochist views the hot shower as a form of punishment; he merely acts as though he does.Ironyis theThe satirist’s sharpest tool; it mimics the adversary’s logic to reveal its underlying folly or cruelty.

The recurring theme that connects these narratives isthe recognition of a circumstance within two logically coherent yet contradictory frameworks of reference or interconnected contextsThis formula demonstrates universal applicability across all types of humor and wit, several of which will be explored later. However, it addresses only a single dimension of humor—itsthe framework of knowledgeA crucial element that requires further analysis is theemotional interplaythat infuse vitality into that framework and evoke laughter, chuckles, or subtle smiles.