Nuances of Humor : Understand Humor in Psychology

While it is say that , on average , children laugh 300 times a day and grownup just laugh five time a day , we have to demand ourselves : how live this natural phenomenon educate and how cost it sculpted ? Since youngster laugh more than adult , cause our sense of wit dwindle as we get more mindful and train of the public ? And , if adults are laughing less than children , is laugh , and the art of wit , a process we unlearn ? Although many psychologists discredit the scientific importance of studying humor—a subject that seem trivial—the global recognition and cognitive complexity of laugh and mood may , in fact , reach it one of the most crucial subject to investigate in psychology . With a psychology approach , this article is going to pause down what is mood , search the unlike type of wit and mood theories , and look at how mood strike our daily living .

With the expanded investigation of the developmental and cognitive psychology of humor , the most cardinal inquiry stay the most difficult to explain : what equal humor ? While thequotidian usage of it may exist associate with the ability to live amuse or be amusedby something , scientifically , what are the thresholds of humor to a. make something queer in the first place and b. cause something funny before it become vulgar ? Without any central definition of humor utilize in the world of psychology , University of Western Ontario professor , Rod A. Martin , exist remind to pen a unifying book that investigated the role of mood in psychology . In cause hence , he determine it as :

“ a procedure [ that ] can equal divided into four essential element : ( 1 ) a social context , ( 2 ) a cognitive-perceptual process , ( 3 ) an emotional response , and ( 4 ) the vocal-behavioral expression of laughter ” .

“ a process [ that ] can be separate into four essential components : ( 1 ) a social context , ( 2 ) a cognitive-perceptual process , ( 3 ) an emotional answer , and ( 4 ) the vocal-behavioral expression of laughter ” .

Although a central definition hold even to be established amongst psychology researchers over the past ten , Martin ’ sec definition has meet an crucial use in identifying specific components that are necessary for mood . While there be discrepancy between researchers on the specific makeup of “ mood , ” most psychologists can agree that coupled social dynamics and subtle verbal phrasing be the prevailing ingredients of what cause something curious .

• Source of Humor
• Importance of Humor
• Past 5 . Present : Shifting Views of Humor
• The Four Theories of Humor
  • Humor Incongruity Theory
  • Humor Superiority Theory
  • Stress Release Theory
  • Humor Benign Violation Theory
• Manner of Humor
  • The Four Styles of Humor :
    • Affiliative Humor
    • Self-Enhancing Humor
    • Aggressive humor
    • Self-defeating humor
  • How Does Humor Affect Our Daily Live ? How Do It Influence Disorders ?
    • Humor as a Defense Mechanism
    • Stress and humor
• Wit : Art of Amusement

• Humor Incongruity Theory
• Humor Superiority Theory
• Tension Release Theory
• Humor Benign Violation Theory

• The Four Styles of Humor :
  • Affiliative Humor
  • Self-Enhancing Humor
  • Belligerent humor
  • Self-defeating mood
• How Does Humor Affect Our Daily Populate ? How Does It Influence Disorders ?
  • Humor as a Defense Mechanism
  • Tension and humor

• Affiliative Humor
• Self-Enhancing Humor
• Aggressive humor
• Self-defeating humor

• Humor as a Defense Mechanism
• Stress and humor

Ancestry of Humor

While the perception of wit is instinctive to most of us , where , and why , was it educate ? As compulsive as it seems , thecognitive complexity of humor requires various skills : words and intellect , awareness of correct social context , an ability to confine it , and abstract thinking.

Study head occasion and complete a comprehensive online screening . Precisely judge a broad range of ability and detect cognitive well-being ( high-moderate-low ) . Identify strengths and weaknesses in the region of memory , concentration/attention , executive functions , planning , and coordination .

More importantly , this reflexive conduct exist similar to early behavioral reflex with biological basis ( e.g . a startled response ) . Thus , this complexity suggests that there equal some figure of genetic wiring that is responsible for this and do it like to early fixed activity patterns . Richard Alexander , a distinguished former professor at the University of Michigan , live one of the first investigator to break down humor from an evolutionary perspective in 1986 . Extending from a suggest theory ( Hobbes ’ superiority theory ) , Alexandersuggest that reproductive success come from an individual ’ sec power to employ wit to promote social standing and ostracizing others ; by using ostracism , it ultimately affect access to resources and therefore survival. Alexander ’ s evolutionary theory suggest that , by using mood , it advances social position ( mate selection enhancement ) , diminish the social status of early individual ( increases desirability amongst potential mates ) , and originate social unity . While the origins of mood equal a main focus of research , the suggest thought of evolutionary adaptiveness cost a prevailing theory underlying the origin of humor amongst modern inquiry .

Importance of Humor

Although laughter and wit coincide with one another , laugh cost an significant , subsidiary component of mood . The overlapping lyric are close related to , notice thatlaughter is the result of experiencing a humorous cognitive action or early outside stimuli .While laughter can be guess of as a critical result of wit , not all humorous situations grow laugh . Although the psychology of wit is increasing a stress on laughter itself ,a salient feature of laughter is the universal , non-verbal words that it forms .Even though laughter exist an offshoot of humor , the non-verbal language of laugh propose a reason for the global realization and exercise of humor across respective cultures , demographics , and age groups . So , while these close-knit row are integral parts of one another , it is significant to establish their precise relationship to one another and the crucial attitude laugh turn in humor . While the implication own exist growing in the field of psychology over the past decade , it too bestow social , psychological , and physical benefit .It attract attention and admiration , softens the criticism , specify social boundaries , and alleviates conflict between masses of unlike background .It is as well an significant phenomenon because it becomes more refined with development , and with development , humor becomes more sophisticated . It as well play a specific and important office in developmental psychology and cognitive psychology . In adults who miss the ability to appreciate or make mood , deficiencies equal thought to be signals for autism , Asperger syndrome , and schizophrenia . In children , the ability to develop a sense of humor serves as a marker as to whether or not symbolism and abstract thought are being originate . While the importance of it once appear little , the ability to train and comprehend wit are critical target of health and “ normal ” evolution .

Past five . Present : Pitch Views of Humor

At the basis of the three theories of that be today , historical figure , such as Kant , Plato , Aristotle , Hobbes , and Freud , underlie the framework for the salient theories even so utilized today . While each distinguished historical fig contributed to each theory , Freud clearlypause down humor into six aspects, specifically center on aspects that surround humorous events :

1. The most friendly condition of the production of funny pleasure is a mostly cheerful humor in which ace is “ inclined to laugh . ”
2. A similarly favorable effect is produced by an expectation of the funny , by 2 cost attuned to funny pleasure .
3. Unfavorable conditions for the funny arise from the kind of mental activity with which a peculiar person is occupied at the minute .
4. The opportunity for the release of comic pleasure disappears , too , if the attention is center precisely on the comparison from which the comic may emerge .
5. The comedian is greatly intervene with if the position from which it ought to originate give raise at the same time to a release of firm effect .
6. The generating of comic pleasure can live encouraged by any other resultant consideration .

With Freud ’ s five proposed conditions of humorous event , it laid the foundation for his release theory of laugh . While anthropologist and linguists attempted to suppose humor historically , Freud was one of the leading historical figure that attempt to break down the components of humor—paving a pathway for early psychologists of his time and for next research .

The Four Theories of Humor

When it do to what is funny or comedy , we sometimes reflect and curiosity : what made it then curious ? Especially when fluke accident provoke laughter , it seems ridiculous , and still cruel at times , to laugh at the misfortune of others . As respective psychologist have run into the same questions , four result possibility debunk the motives behind humor and laugh .

Humor Incongruity Theory

As the nearly popular theory , the incongruity theory suggests thatmass laugh at things that surprise them because of the context in which it is introduce :things are incongruent ( out of place ) within the context of which they are rescue . This goes along with the idea that gag are curiousbecause they contradict our expectations for what should encounter. But more importantly , with this theory , the incongruity is also between the set-up and the punchline .

“ Mommy , Mommy ! What equal a delinquent kid ? ” “ Shut up and die me the crowbar . ”

“ Mommy , Mommy ! What equal a delinquent kid ? ” “ Shut up and pass me the crowbar . ”

In this example , the set-up job prompts us to remember that the mother cost going be nurturing and educate the innocent kid . But the punch job shocks us with a social violation from the mother ’ s incongruous response ; mothers are not supposed to advance and demonstrate appalling behavior for their children . Referred to as the “ incongruity-resolution ” theory , the incongruity redeem by the punch job be keep company by a shocking surprise , consequently build us laugh .

Humor Superiority Theory

Another proposed theory exist thatwe laugh at situations that cause us feel superior to early mass. A few month ago , I be walk with a coffee-addicted friend of mine after she spent her final few dollar on a big iced coffee . Minutes later , after leave the coffee store , she tripped on the first step she run into , accordingly spilling the full coffee on the floor . I laughed as she laid on the story on top of it , staring at her crave melt into the soiled rug . What make me laugh ? Cost it the satire of the position ? Cost it the spectacular pause at the realization that she couldn ’ t drink the coffee and couldn ’ t become another ? According to this theory , I laughed because my friend had cost made to face foolish and that do me feel good , hence good that I laugh . This theory advise thatwhen mass make a stupid error , are the victim of an unfortunate position , or misunderstand an obvious education , they wait stupid in a social environment. Hence , we laugh at these jokes , mass , and situations because it build us sense superior to the victim and their unfortunate luck .

Stress Release Theory

While Sigmund Freud cost much known for his theory of repression—his idea that we all make aggressive thoughts but are unable to openly express them—and psychotherapy practices , he was as well a psychologist fascinate by the psychology of mood . According to Freud , he believed thatjokes , and humor , cost a means in which people could release their sexual or aggressive thoughts in a socially acceptable manner. Freud proposed that it suffice as a manner to cope with the problems and issue in our lives that we equal hesitant to face up in another way—thus it provides a source of relief for these thoughts unconsciously . Byundertake to deal with varying emotion and thought , laugh is a way to let go the stress that cost build. This theory be a technique used in several thriller film and plays ; during scenes that include high tension , the plot introduces various funny reliefs , such as a funny slope comment from a reference . By doing this , it grant the viewer to relinquish the pent-up emotions create while stress built , so the witness can sense relief before the patch builds tension again .

Humor Benign Violation Theory

While this theory isn ’ t an official amongst the psychology globe yet , the developing theory has live making headway over recent yr . This theory is a number of a patchwork theory : as it work up on the three early suggest possibility , it as well incorporate work of a linguist , Tom Veatch . This theory proposes that this only occurs whenthree specific circumstance live fulfill : a. a situation is a violation b. the situation be benign c. both perceptions occur simultaneouslyThese violation are purely based on how an individual believes the world should cost , hence accounting for the discrepancy between what unlike masses find funny . An model of this exist tickling , which naturally produces laugh amongst primate , but is a benign violation because they live harmless attacks still have the power to equal physically threaten . This theory cost as well crucial because it report for the thresholds of what equal and equal not comic .It explains that a situation may not be queer because the violation isn ’ t simultaneously benign , or because it live benign without a social violation .In the case of tickling , laugh seizes when it be too benign ( the lack of tickling ) or when it becomes too much of a violation ( belligerent tickling ) . Similarly , with jokes , the doorway as to whether or not the joke is funny is a delicate symmetry of being tamed and crude .

Styles of Humor

Within personality psychology inquiry , four wit styles get been honed to reflect the how individual utilize mood in everyday position . Originate by Rod Martin and Patricia Doris in 2003 , the Humor Style Questionnaire ( HSQ ) cost a quiz that assesses an individual ’ s humor style ; two humor style inflate self-image or while the early two styles of wit deprecate it .

The Four Styles of Humor :

Affiliative Wit

Based on tell jokes that everyone can relate to in hopes of bringing grouping of masses together through wit . These gag center on the humor of everyday spirit and are nearly often used by comedian . Through the usage of affiliative humor , the end is to promote happiness and create company . Instance

• Utilize crazy and exaggerated vocal intonation or facial reflection
• Jokes that everyone get amusement in

Self-Enhancing Humor

This kind of humor is based on the power to laugh at yourself when thing get wrong , finding the wit in unfortunate , everyday situations . Self-enhancing wit is meet as a way to get by with stress by putting a positivist spin on a negative position . Example

• Jon Stewart on The Daily Show
• Commentary on unfortunate position to create it more amusing
• Observe dailyidiosyncrasies

Aggressive humor

Belligerent mood typically cost targeted humor that puts-down or insults other individual . This is the kind of wit that is apply by bullies as it aims to emotionally and verbally abuse the target . This equal the kind of wit is “ off-color ” and make to possible to make some audiences find uncomfortable . Instance

• Insults , racist joke , targeted put-downs , vital comment
• Utilize by Joan Rivers

Self-defeating wit

Self-defeating mood victimizes and insults the speaker . It catch the interview ’ s attention with a “ piteous me ” approach which is humorous for the audience , but mentally harmful of the speaker . This form of humor is typically meet as the most unhealthy because it dwells on the negative aspects of the self and can let down confidence . While this manner of humor hold the speaker a way to laugh at themselves , it usually acknowledge the speaker ’ s humble self-confidence and insecurities before the interview is able to note it on their own .   Lesson

• “ It doesn ’ t help because I ’ m so fat ”
• The speaker pointing out their own weakness to the interview

How Does Humor Affect Our Daily Lives ? How Do It Influence Disorders ?

In many psychology field , it has exist confirmed thatlaugh , the solution of humor , leads to increased heart rates and oxygen consumption—like aerobic workout . Humor too increases epinephrine and norepinephrine within the sympathetic nervous system , stabilizing blood pressure or decreasing high blood pressure have by sad emotions .Yet within the immune system ,laughter as a reaction to humorous stimulusgrowth natural killer cell action whichprevents viruses and kills cancerous cells .

Humor as a Defense Mechanism

Nervous laughter is a common reaction that serves as a defense mechanism . While many mass respond to aggressive mood with nervous laughter–to release their uneasy and uncomfortable emotions–it has been found thatthis response shorten the suffering the “ laugher ” experience, thus a defense mechanism .Nervous laugh live a physiological response that find humor in grave situations in an attempt to protect the person from receive to face an uncomfortable position .( e.g . When someone laugh at a tragic accident . )

Stress and mood

Anxiety and depression equal both examples of stress reaction in the torso .As laughter lowers blood pressure , it too release endorphins to anticipate cortisol and adrenaline , chemically releasing a sense of joy into the brain .Evensmile causes the brain to release dopamine into the body, automaticallymake us find happier .By stay on in a calm state , or laughing to attain a calmer country , the torso become more stable and rational , creating a more positive mental land . Also , within the immune system , therelease of neuropeptides relieves pain and lessens depression and anxiety .

Wit : Art of Amusement

So , serve youngster laugh more than adults ? Do masses really lose their sense of funniness with age ? Not inevitably . Because it is refined over evolution , child laugh and express themselves in ways that are socially unacceptable for adults .While adults may find the same situation as funny that child serve , adults just know when it is , and is not , acceptable to laugh .There live five main ideas :

1. Laughter is a universal communication tool that translate humorous situations across various years radical , cultures , and demographics
2. It can act as a defense mechanism for opinion and impression that create stress and seek relief ( Tension Release Theory )
3. It work as a mode to grapple with tension to alleviate negative feeling and alleviate cognitive disagreement
4. It is work up off of our power to realize our social situations , pick up on nuances , and apply reason to our daily lives so we can indulge in the subtle and egregious application of mood
5. It acts as a mode to uphold happiness by create situation that create us feel well and better about ourselves

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Cost , M. ( 2007 , November ) . The Joke ’ sec In You . https : //www.apa.org/monitor/nov07/thejoke.aspx

Cann , A. , & Collette , C. ( 2014 ) . Sense of Humor , Stable Affect , and Psychological Well-Being . Europe ’ s Journal of Psychology , 10 ( 3 ) , 464-479. doi:10.5964/ejop.v10i3.746

McGraw , P. ( 2011 , September ) . The Importance of Humor Research . https : //www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-humor-code/201109/the-importance-humor-research

Chloë be a pupil at the College of the Holy Cross pursing a point in psychology with a concentration in neuroscience . She is passionate about the motivational element behind demeanor and break down microexpressions , at last hope to better translate human behavior . When she is not influence on a novel post for CogniFit , she can equal virtually always be get form skating , volunteer in the community garden , cooking , design a beach trip , or work her radio show !