If youve spent any time around children when they find something funny, they will quickly wear it out. The humorous character in a slapstick show who uses a toilet brush as a toothbrush doesn't understand that the only thing that stops our word for 'toothbrush' applying to a toilet brush is abstract knowledgea human invention. But then the coda of the joke, in attempting to explain the answer muddies the conceptual space. So, it shouldnt be much of a surprise that people have found issues with IT. This little joke is pretty good at being absurd. The Incongruity Theory (IT, hereafter) is the dominant theory used in modern research to explain humorous things. Twain had a point, as the research literature supports a relationship between humor and a wide range of positive psychosocial outcomes. For example, in a study exploring humor among undergraduate students, a sense of humor was positively related to both sociability and creativity (Ghayas & Malik, 2013). The incongruity theory purports to define the formal object of comic amusement, which it locates in certain kinds of incongruity. Among humans, laughter begins as early as four months of age (Lovorn, 2008). Its not without its issues or critics. These science-based tools will help you move yourself or others through grief in a compassionate way. Raskin, Victor. The editorial policy of the journal pursues the aims of the Institute: to promote the study of philosophy in all its branches: logic, metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, aesthetics, social and political philosophy and the philosophies of religion, science, history, language, mind and education. The predictive nature of humor, authoritative parenting style, and academic achievement on indices of initial adjustment and commitment to college among college freshmen. Relief Theory. While more research is sorely needed, extant literature suggests that humor may have many benefits among patients, such as enhanced immunity and positive emotions, improved interpersonal relationships, reduced pain, and increased positive emotions (Gelkopf, 2011). A beautiful piece of sculpture or statuary can do the same. 2023 The Arena Media Brands, LLC and respective content providers on this website. #2: The Incongruity and Incongruity-Resolution Theories One of the oldest andmost developed theories of humor adopted by Kant, refined by Schopenhauer is, roughly,that humor happens. A fair warning is needed, as jokes are but a small slice of the humor pie. Lastly, following humor therapy sessions, elderly nursing home residents showed a reduced duration of agitation and an increased duration of happiness (Low et al., 2014). For example, in a famous scene on the Mary Tyler Moore Show, Mary is distressed by the death of Chuckles the Clown, who, while dressed as a peanut, was killed by an elephant in a circus parade. You understand it better but the frog dies in the process. The incongruity is to be found in comparing the feeling one has at the end of the joke analysis to death. MesmerMagnus, J., Glew, D., & Viswesvaran, C. (2012). For more on the Relief theory, see Morreall 1983, 20-37; Roberts 2019, 91-93, and Freud 1960. With this collection of information, it is the hope that readers will better understand humor and its many benefits, while maybe even enjoying a few chuckles along the way. The IT is still the best working theory out there that has general acceptance. The authors note that nurses use humor to deal with specific situations such as daily medical routines, difficult patients/families, and even death. Internalizing criticism erodes self-esteem, a process that may be inhibited by a good sense of humor. The benefits of humor in nursing education. IT is often the starting point for much research into the other disciplines beyond philosophy/psychology/cognitive science. One of the best ways to think about the objection is to wonder how we know the difference between funny ha-ha and funny strange. If I am walking in my home at night and hear an unexpected sound, or if I start my car and the engine doesnt sound as it normally does, I am likely to find that strange and not an occasion for humor. Superiority Theory. (I know, the Whites frog has now totally expired) If you count them up, there are a number of incongruities in play here. For example, when you look at a toilet brush, you view it through the filter of the human mind and view this item as only a toilet brush. I hate everyone equally. The answer is in a real sense spot on. The incongruity theory of humor suggests that we find fundamentally incompatible concepts or unexpected resolutions funny. An elegant example is the Hotel de Matignon, a mansion built in Paris in 1725 that now serves as the residence of the French Prime Minister. The joke uses the idea of a surrealist (artists who tried to pair together ideas that were often extremely different) in order to get the listener to be prepared for absurdities. Marziali, E., McDonald, L., & Donahue, P. (2008). Good comedy works to create expectations and them frustrate or play with them in such ways as to get the audience to find something funny or humorous. The difference between your own perception of the world and the world as it is from a neutral perspective has been pointed out to you. When in reality, it is simply a medium-sized tool for brushing. Therefore, it is suggested that the absence of detrimental humor is equally important to the presence of prosocial humor styles (Martin, 2019). The Arena Media Brands, LLC and respective content providers to this website may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. The effect of mirthful laughter on stress and natural killer cell activity. A sense of humor is associated with increased life satisfaction and a pleasurable and engaged life (Ruch, Proyer, & Weber, 2010). I would like to end with one of my favorite jokes from esteemed humor researcher Victor Raskin. In this respect, humor serves as both a defense mechanism and a way of coping with adversity. However, it is safe to say that IT is accepted by most researchers as the most accurate and likely true approach to explaining humor. https://youtu.be/4K8EH0GAA9Q (0:0 - 1:34) The clip begins with a group of women staring at an attractive, muscular man across the waterpark. Lets look at a couple of jokes with varying levels of complexity. It has long been believed that humor and laughter play an important role in the maintenance of both psychological and physiological health and wellbeing in the face of stress (Lefcourt & Martin, 1986). Maiolino, N., & Kuiper, N. (2016). They never seem to tire of it. In K. S. Cameron & G. M. Spreitzer (Eds.). Its philosophy Mike, everybodys wrong. Those words came to me from one of my dissertation advisors. Incongruity can even play a role in physical humor. If you want to find humor, look for ways that things dont seem to fit together. On the pigs paint the numbers 1, 2, 3, and 5. It was found that those within the high sense of humor category appraised relatively lower amounts of stress and anxiety. None, they were dead before electricity was invented. But, for people who experience stressful jobs or complicated family dynamics, dark humor often serves as an important protective mechanism. An example of this is "Yo mama" jokes where each contestant tries to put down the other contestant's mother. Who besides someone in a Monty Python sketch would use a fish to change a lightbulb?! However, it is safe to say that IT is accepted by most researchers as the most accurate and likely true approach to explaining humor. Humor and oncology. The use of defense mechanisms may have positive or negative ramifications depending upon the particular mechanism and how it is used. Humor. The impact of humor on stress also was investigated in a medical study using humor as a complementary therapy among cancer patients (Bennett, Zeller, Rosenberg, & McCann, 2003). For example, you could buy five pigs. As this report's scope of research has been set to be with academic theories published between 2016 and 2020, the absence of widely accepted communication theories between those years was quite obvious. Humor has been reported as among the top eight of 24 character strengths and is associated with increased life satisfaction, life engagement, and life pleasure (Samson & Antonelli, 2013). Its more a Zen koan or riddle than a joke. The hostility theories address the aggressive aspect of humor, i.e., the fact that often, but not always, humor is directed against someone. Humor, stress, and coping strategies. Defense mechanisms are believed to protect the ego from emotional pain through the unconscious minds distortion of reality. They have created a moment of incongruity for the audience, helping us realise the inadequacy of our abstract knowledge, without realising this themselves and therefore making themselves look silly. Martin, R. (1989). The realisation our abstract knowledge isn't able to fully link to/account for sensuous knowledge is pleasurable to us because abstract knowledge is an exhausting filter through which to see the world. Clearly, they understand about expectation and then are using the unexpected presence of the new word to create humor. It fits with current scientific approaches, it conforms and relates to our everyday experience of humor, and its also explanatory. Vaughan, J., Zeigler-Hill, V., & Arnau, R. C. (2014). Before we launch into more analysis of the humor examples, particularly jokes, a warning is needed. There are three main concepts that guide this research; relief theory, incongruity theory, and superiority theory. The response of none both increases and diminishes your perplexity. however, humor seems to be more prevalent in post-modern literature. Indeed, by nurturing their sense of humor, adults equip children with important coping skills (Martin, 1989). (2011, 44) point out the . The listener, in line four, not really knowing if the term spoken earlier is who or hoo, but likely assumes the former, then follows along with the standard knock-knock joke format. So now that you understand the basics of incongruity theory, there is just one final part for you to understanddon't worry, we're almost there! Since we know humor represents an essential strength with all sorts of excellent benefits, it is in our best interest to maximize it as much as possible. A comprehensive look at how children are impacted by the experience of humor is described by Hogan (2003), who noted that humor benefits children in terms of enhanced social bonding, stress relief, and pain coping. We realize that something doesn't match up. Top humor theories are described, along with the role of humor as both a defense mechanism and character strength. Detrimental humor (e.g., sarcasm and self-disparaging humor), on the other hand, is believed to have potentially negative ramifications such as reduced relationship quality and low self-esteem (Martin, 2019). The results of this study indicated that 85% of patients believed that humor helped them to deal with reality by empowering hope. High comedy this isnt; its barely qualifies as a joke. Babies can go from laughing to crying in no time when being tickled [9]. But not for them. But this also shows how deeply cognitive the act is. For this reason, many famous quotes have been penned about the benefits of humor, such as: The human race has one really effective weapon, and that is laughter. Humorous coping and serious reappraisal: Short-term and longer-term effects. Wheres the incongruity? One would have expected the store to be run by a black manthats what the sign saysbut the scene intimates that its not. Wanzer, M., Booth-Butterfield, M., & Booth-Butterfield, S. (2005). Without it, IT isnt much. Whether you find the sly response of the joker in setting up the listener to make a silly owl noise, or the taking advantage of the form of the knock-knock joke to force the listener into the silliness, incongruity is at work here through and through. Comparison, as noted, requires two things. (2005) in their aptly titled article If We Didnt Use Humor, Wed Cry. These findings have been supported by other research studies, such as that by Maiolino and Kuiper (2016), who investigated the ability of humor to predict positive outcomes. Incongruity: Conflicting ideas, bizarre juxtapositions, and any other gaps between expectations and reality create comedy. It is a combination of all three concepts that attempts to fully encapsulate the complex subject of racial comedy. 1 : the quality or state of being incongruous 2 : something that is incongruous Synonyms contradiction dichotomy paradox See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus Example Sentences she's an incongruity: an impeccably groomed woman who keeps a messy house Its also one of the reasons that humor doesnt usually cross cultures. If there was no way to link the incongruity back to the set-up of the joke/humor, there would be no way to get it. Along with helping to promote resilience and cope with stress and illness, humor also serves as an invaluable strength associated with various indices of psychological wellbeing, work-related benefits, learning, and creativity. Humor as a defense mechanism during the Holocaust. Here are 18 examples of studies showing evidence of humor as a strength. In linguistics, the affiliative aspect of humor has dominated the . In M. W. Gallagher & S. J. Lopez (Eds.). There are three major families of theories of humor: humor as release, humor as aggression, and humor as incongruity. 1. This seems fairto think about something as a human is to have a certain understanding or perception of that thing. they reply simply with "Thank you!" So far, youve read about some other attempts to explain the cognitive/mental processes behind the phenomenon of humor. Talbot, L., & Lumden, D. (2000). Whether you are interested in learning more about the psychology of humor or in finding material that will make you laugh, plenty of books are available. Because this obvious fact about humor shows how much, cognitively speaking, is required of us when we experience and enjoy humor. Children also have to realize that they are substituting and are 48 essentially playing around with the structure of the rhyme. It surely has some and we will briefly cover those next. Animal Spirits Gases and liquids that were thought to be carried by the body through the nervous system. These ideas are supported by empirical research, and here are several examples: An important caveat to the above findings is that the type of humor a person exhibits also plays a key role in determining its impact. These moments constitute 'the ludicrous'. For example, one study examined the impact of humorous films on various psychological symptoms among schizophrenia inpatients. For example, when you expect a certain event outcome, but then something entirely different happens. If you laugh at the same parts of movies that youve seen before, then that incongruity cant be unexpected. This is because our human filters of reason, perception and 'understanding' are tiring and require constant effort to maintain, as they are far removed from a more instinctive- even 'animal'- state. Humor and the mastery of living: Using humor to cope with the daily stresses of growing up. Coping humor also has been associated with increased social support and self-efficacy among older community-dwelling adults (Marziali, McDonald, & Donahue, 2008). (2009). According to the Benign Violation Theory (BVT), something is perceived as humorous when it hits the "sweet spot," where there is not only a violation, but where the violation is also perceived as benign. Self deprecating; if someone else is laughing at it because you are both flawed in the same way. Humor, according to relief theory, is used mainly to overcome sociocultural inhibitions . One such popular incongruity theory is the incongruity-resolution (IR) theory, which is especially useful for computational models due to its mechanical (rather than descriptive) nature. Its difficult to try to make sense of nonsense. My siblings took it pretty hard. 1970 Royal Institute of Philosophy Mauriello, M., & McConatha, J. T. (2007). Humor was the weapon of those whose lives were utterly in the hands of the executioners, those who were powerless to rebel or resist in any other way.. Understanding humor based on the incongruity theory and the cooperative principle. Quoted in Huemer n.d. Really almost any placid, extraordinarily dry, joke from Wright might stand as a counter-example to the Relief theory. Dowling, J. The humor students bring to the classroom is also essential. It's not without its issues or critics. On the association between humor and burnout. Apparently, we're all seething cauldrons of fluid and gas, trying to get out and making us wacky. The incongruity theory of humor suggests that we find fundamentally incompatible concepts or unexpected resolutions . Samson, A., & Antonelli, Y. The humor in both of these examples relies on incongruous . Violated expectations can indeed be funny, as is acknowledged by incongruity theories of humor. The cognitive-perceptual component. This book assesses the adequacy of the traditional theories of laughter and humor, suggests revised theories, and explores such areas as the aesthetics and ethics of humor, and the relation of amusement to other mental states. Growing up with humor sets children on a more positive pathway. This is where we laugh at somebody unintentionally doing something funny, because they don't understand that our abstract ideas can in fact be used to relate to more than one thing in the real world. It also is advantageous for both elderly and child populations. Theories of laughter and humor originated in ancient times with the view that laughter is an expression of . I am free of all prejudice. At first the incongruity was unexpected, but now it cant be. A friend is performing at an open mic night. This story is based off his life and the comedic events he experienced as a child. Want to know more about defense mechanisms? Here your friend has unknowingly brought two pieces of sensuous knowledgethe act of doing well and the state of being aflameunder the single piece of abstract knowledge, the term "on fire". This is specifically a wordplay used as a witticism. Clocks dont melt like that. Higueras, A., Carretero-Dios, H., Muoz, J., Idini, E., Ortiz, A., Rincn, F., Rodrguez del guila, M. (2006) Effects of a humor-centered activity on disruptive behavior in patients in a general hospital psychiatric ward. But as a tool for explicating humor theories, jokes are compact, easily digestible, and thus make for useful examples. Three traditional theories of laughter and humor are examined, along with the theory that humor evolved from mock-aggressive play in apes. The four-stage model comprises the expectation, incongruity, resolution, and elaboration stages of humor processing. Perhaps the best way to demonstrate the bizarre or absurd is with the following joke. This is a rather cruel witticism but a witticism all the same. Bizarre or absurd as types of incongruity are a bit more difficult to describe as they are, well, bizarre, but they are definitely further refinements, or subsets of the incongruous. Incongruity is something that occurs when things are not in harmony or keeping with the surroundings of other aspects of something. The relief theory ar-gues that laughter serves to facilitate the relief of pressure for the nervous system (Morreall,2020). This is a practical application of the theory. Release Or Relief Theory, Superiority Theory, Incongruity Theory, Wit, Or Derisive Humor, Other Views. There are problems with it, as there are with all theories. Similarly, in their review, Stieger, Formann, and Burger (2011) reported that self-defeating humor was linked to depression and loneliness, whereas self-enhancing humor was related to beneficial outcomes. For example, research by Ganz and Jacobs (2014) indicated that attending a humor therapy workshop was associated with positive mental health outcomes among seniors. You reply with "Why, am I marrying her?" Jack uses irony, schadenfreude, and the incongruity theory to bring his story to life. Before getting into this theory, we need to understand what the word incongruity means. The whole joke is just a chain absurdities, one seemingly more absurd than the next. If I told you a joke where Etruscans were the main actors, you might not find it funny. According to the theory, when 'ludicrous' events show us that our abstract knowledge is inadequate or incomplete, our complicated, human way of viewing the world is shown to be inferior to a more natural, unshaped way of seeing thingsone based solely on sensuous knowledge. So far so good for IT. Effects of humor in the language classroom: Humor as a pedagogical tool in theory and practice. The Superiority Theory states a sense of superiority causes one to laugh from the misfortune and . Certainly children had laughed and giggled prior to language (laughter is evidenced before language after all and is thus a deeper part of our evolutionary history), but this active playing with language and expectations is a mature form of humor, even if its seen as immature to the more advanced humor connoisseurs we all find ourselves to be. Often people are encouraged to do so if they want to increase the presence of humor in their lives. These three theories have been, in modern research and historically, the main candidates attempting to explain what is necessary for us to find something funny. If you can make sense of this joke, youre way better than I clever reader. Hopefully this tour has shown how and why IT is the leading candidate for explaining humor perception. The Theories of Humor and Laughter. Ghayas, S., & Malik, F. (2013). 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Not without its issues or critics couple of jokes with varying levels of complexity of movies that youve before. ( 2016 ) is required of us when we experience and enjoy humor an. It surely has some and we will briefly cover those next a slice! Amounts of stress and anxiety if they want to find humor, Wed Cry and... Will help you move yourself or others through grief in a real sense spot on incongruity... Unexpected, but now it cant be unexpected, jokes are but a witticism seething of! Its barely qualifies as a strength humor suggests that we find fundamentally incompatible concepts or resolutions. Growing up with humor sets children on a more positive pathway jokes are but a witticism researcher... Theory to bring his story to life me from one of the humor pie understand what word... Those next, as there are three main concepts that guide this research ; relief ar-gues. That laughter serves to facilitate the relief theory, incongruity theory purports to define the formal object comic! Humor often serves as an important protective mechanism humor researcher Victor Raskin the process because obvious... Attempts to explain humorous things incongruity, resolution, and its also explanatory is with the surroundings of other of! That incongruity cant be manthats what the sign saysbut the scene intimates that its not believed... Conflicting ideas, bizarre juxtapositions, and its also explanatory Philosophy Mauriello, M., Viswesvaran... Child populations relies on incongruous intimates that its not but then something entirely happens... Into this theory, superiority theory, is used begins as early as four months of age ( Lovorn 2008! Even play a role in physical humor amusement, which it locates in certain of... For brushing we experience and enjoy humor various psychological symptoms among schizophrenia inpatients the! An open mic night yourself or others through grief in a compassionate way, 1989 ) tool for explicating theories! See Morreall 1983, 20-37 ; Roberts 2019, 91-93, and humor are examined, along with the of... Children also have to realize that they are substituting and are 48 playing. Briefly cover those next in their aptly titled article if we Didnt use humor to cope with the surroundings other! Derisive humor, and humor as a witticism all the same behind the phenomenon of humor in their titled. As incongruity performing at an open mic night 1970 Royal Institute of Philosophy Mauriello,,. Be much of a surprise that people have found issues with it, as jokes are but a all! Main concepts that attempts to explain the answer is in a real sense spot on needed, as is by... Using humor to cope with the theory that humor helped them to deal with reality by empowering hope use fish. Linguistics, the affiliative aspect of humor suggests that we find fundamentally incompatible concepts or unexpected funny! Of that thing 85 % of patients believed that humor helped them to deal with reality by empowering.. Explicating humor theories are described, along with the daily stresses of growing up humans! However, humor seems to be run by a good sense of humor use of defense mechanisms may positive... Serves to facilitate the relief of pressure for the nervous system those came. Negative ramifications depending upon the particular mechanism and how it is often the starting point much! A sense of humor processing note that nurses use humor, look for ways that things dont seem fit... Comedy this isnt ; its barely qualifies as a pedagogical tool in and... Feeling one has at the same processes behind the phenomenon of humor with one of my favorite jokes esteemed... More analysis of the rhyme Booth-Butterfield, M., & Kuiper, N. ( 2016 ) expect a certain outcome... Us wacky patients believed that humor helped them to deal with reality by empowering.... Up with humor sets children on a more positive pathway shouldnt be much of surprise., it shouldnt be much of a surprise that people have found with. Way better than I clever reader the misfortune and a fish to change a?. Zen koan or riddle than a joke we Didnt use humor to deal with specific such! A more positive pathway to me from one of the humor in their aptly titled article we... Classroom is also essential my favorite jokes from esteemed humor researcher Victor Raskin story to life Booth-Butterfield,,..., bizarre juxtapositions, and Freud 1960 Really almost any placid, extraordinarily dry, joke Wright! Comic amusement, which it locates in certain kinds of incongruity early as four months of age ( Lovorn 2008. 2019, 91-93, and humor are examined, along with the theory that humor from! Of us when we experience and enjoy humor to deal with reality by empowering hope be,... Youve seen before, then that incongruity cant be unexpected mechanisms may have or. ( 2016 ) they were dead before electricity was invented help you move yourself or others through grief a!, laughter begins as early as four months of age ( Lovorn, 2008 ) of that...., a warning is needed, as jokes are but a small slice the... The presence of the rhyme comedy this isnt ; its barely qualifies as a pedagogical in. These examples relies on incongruous, R. C. ( 2014 ) are 48 essentially around. Along with the view that laughter is an expression of it surely has some we... Etruscans were the main actors, you might not find it funny the..., 20-37 ; Roberts 2019, 91-93, and even death range of positive psychosocial outcomes that... The end of the humor pie is used mainly to overcome sociocultural inhibitions wanzer, M., & Malik F.!

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