Cambridge Journals publishes over 250 peer-reviewed academic journals across a wide range of subject areas, in print and online. At first the incongruity was unexpected, but now it cant be. 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). A fair warning is needed, as jokes are but a small slice of the humor pie. Similarly, MesmerMagnus, Glew, and Viswesvaran (2012) conducted a meta-analysis of 49 studies focusing on the impact of humor in the workplace. Incongruity theory, which focuses on the cognitive mechanisms of perception and interpretation, posits that it is the perceptions of incongruity that explain humor (Martin & Ford, 2018). In this way, humor results from feelings of triumph over the errors or misfortune of others, which promotes self-enhancement and feelings of superiority. 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. 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. I encourage you to try it, if only to raise the amount of humor in your life. The IT is still the best working theory out there that has general acceptance. Laughter and mirth, according to relief theory, result from this release of nervous energy. Superiority theory, relief/arousal theory, and incongruity theory, propose different reasons as to what makes a situation humorous. Examining the impact of a brief humor exercise on psychological wellbeing. If an incongruity is experienced in a relaxed or playful setting, if the incongruity is not one that should require serious attention, or if there are no pressing concerns at that time, the incongruity will be one experienced as humorous. In general, research reviews have documented that positive styles of humor are related to lower perceptions of stress (Mauriello & McConatha, 2007). In general, all other things being equal, if theres no reason to worry about the incongruity, then laugh. IT is often the starting point for much research into the other disciplines beyond philosophy/psychology/cognitive science. The joke makes sense, if in a different or atypical way. Without it, IT isnt much. This little joke is pretty good at being absurd. For terms and use, please refer to our Terms and Conditions This story is based off his life and the comedic events he experienced as a child. 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 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. Comedians who adopt a more dead-pan style of presentation can leave their audiences confused. Humor plays an essential role in buffering the impact of stress and is important for positive wellbeing among both children and seniors. not in harmony or keeping with the surroundings or other aspects of something) with your understanding of the world. a) Resolution makes the original incongruity no longer incongruous. (2013). This juxtaposition of the Asian man coming from under the counter, which supports the idea that hes the owner, with the sign that proclaims the establishment is black owned is perfect example of ideas or objects that are incongruous with one another. (2011, 44) point out the . If my son had substituted an adjective or conjunction it would have been odd. They ignore this fact and so foolishly use one as the other. Incongruity: Conflicting ideas, bizarre juxtapositions, and any other gaps between expectations and reality create comedy. A child with a well-developed sense of humor has been described as becoming a joy tracker or humor spotter in everyday life a point of view that will be carried into adulthood (Franzini, 2002, p. 11). Coping humor also has been associated with increased social support and self-efficacy among older community-dwelling adults (Marziali, McDonald, & Donahue, 2008). Mathieu, S. (2008). Have a shot at working that one out. The use of defense mechanisms may have positive or negative ramifications depending upon the particular mechanism and how it is used. MesmerMagnus, J., Glew, D., & Viswesvaran, C. (2012). (2019). More specifically, the muscular and respiratory processes involved in laugher serve the important role of releasing pent-up nervous energy (Martin & Ford, 2018). But before we move on to critiques, lets explore some other facts about humor that support the notion that humor is a cognitive act that requires some form of perceived incongruity. Before we launch into more analysis of the humor examples, particularly jokes, a warning is needed. Additionally, humor may represent a vital strength during middle childhood by helping kids to gain the support of a peer group and by enhancing self-esteem (Klein & Kuiper, 2006). So far so good for IT. Humorous coping and serious reappraisal: Short-term and longer-term effects. I am free of all prejudice. One of simplest forms of humor in young children can be found when they actively do something contrary to expectation or norm. The dominant theory of humor is the Incongruity Theory (Morreall, 2016). Self deprecating; if someone else is laughing at it because you are both flawed in the same way. White, E. B. and Katherine White. Though it is not entirely flawless, incongruity theory stands as one of the most prominent accounts of amusement in the contemporary discussion of philosophy of . This explains why humor is found more in times of leisure and play than anywhere else. More traditional comedians with their exaggerated gesticulations or bombastic/exaggerated vocal inflections help the audience understand that what is going on is supposed to be funny and then allows us to experience the incongruity as funny. The most prominent neurocognitive theory of humor is the incongruity theory , which begins with detection and resolution of conflicting alternatives in the frontal lobes followed by humor appreciation in pleasure/reward areas. However, it is safe to say that IT is accepted by most researchers as the most accurate and likely true approach to explaining humor. If you dont find yourself laughing nearly enough, here are six things you can do: Two cannibals are eating a clown. Introduction. The Theories of Humor and Laughter. For simplicity, we will call the ways in which we refer to and perceive the world and its contents as abstract knowledge and the world as it simply exists from a non-human perspective sensuous knowledge. This idea is evident in Cann and Collettes study (2014), as positive outcomes were associated with self-enhancing humor. The predictive nature of humor, authoritative parenting style, and academic achievement on indices of initial adjustment and commitment to college among college freshmen. Growing up with humor sets children on a more positive pathway. Humor styles and their relationship to explicit and implicit self-esteem. Honestly, I hadnt given this much thought before perhaps other commenters can share their views but Ill point you toward an interesting read I just found by Nwankw (2021), which explores this trend toward self-censorship with reference to the comedians Trevor Noah and Basket Mouth. Incongruity is something that occurs when things are not in harmony or keeping with the surroundings of other aspects of something. Maiolino, N., & Kuiper, N. (2016). It also is advantageous for both elderly and child populations. The superiority theory is concerned with the affective response that often accompanies comic amusement, which it maintains is an enjoyable feeling of superiority to the object of amusement. #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. For example, when you expect a certain event outcome, but then something entirely different happens. A Subtreasury of American Humor. In order for any two people to share a joke, its important that they share a certain conceptual or knowledge base. This theory is intuitive, as a joke with an expected or obvious punchline is simply not funny. The effect of humorous movies on inpatients with chronic schizophrenia. The second theory described by Martin and Ford (2018) is the superiority theory, which focuses on interpersonal motivational mechanisms, with humor resulting as a function of self-esteem enhancement. Just as the surrealists might have liked. Built with love in the Netherlands. There are three main concepts that guide this research; relief theory, incongruity theory, and superiority theory. Therefore, it is suggested that the absence of detrimental humor is equally important to the presence of prosocial humor styles (Martin, 2019). The image is made to be jarring, to pair together images that dont work together in any typical fashion. Describes the works of dermot bolger, e.m. forster, and kazuo ishiguro. I would like to end with one of my favorite jokes from esteemed humor researcher Victor Raskin. Incongruity theory o An example of the incongruity theory of humor takes place during the waterpark scene in the movie Grown Ups (Dennis Dugan, 2010). Abstract. For example, research by Ganz and Jacobs (2014) indicated that attending a humor therapy workshop was associated with positive mental health outcomes among seniors. It surely has some and we will briefly cover those next. On the pigs paint the numbers 1, 2, 3, and 5. Additionally, a study addressing the benefits of humor, music, and aerobic exercise on anxiety among women indicated that effect sizes were highest for those in the humor group (Szabo, Ainsworth, & Danks, 2005). The most serviceable example of incongruity is the pun, in which a word has multiple meanings, and the meaning of the sentence in which it is included changes dramatically if one or the other meaning is applied. Wit and folly simply allow us to account for the two different types of humour this theory allows us to model. First, relief theory focuses primarily on the motivational mechanisms of interpersonal needs, positing that humor provides relief of tension. Your perception only relates to part of the objectone of its possible uses. Sensuous knowledge refers to the world as it exists from no perspective at all. We realize that something doesn't match up. In the most general sense, the Incongruity Theory states that in order for something to be found funny or humorous, one needs to perceive a sort of incongruity. This joke would have found itself quite at home in some of Lewis Carrolls works. With this definition we can make the connection it has with . This play then leads to a feeling of delight in the form of humor or mirth. Humor as a defense mechanism during the Holocaust. Indeed, by nurturing their sense of humor, adults equip children with important coping skills (Martin, 1989). Chapter 2 - Incongruity Theory . If youre not an English speaker knock-knock jokes will go over your head. Meaningful quotes and additional resources are also included, along with a bit of humor sprinkled throughout. They offer to 'cool you down' and you agree. Schopenhaeur believes we relate to everything in the world through our perceptions. For example, you could buy five pigs. Theories of the psychophysiological benefits of humor. The next day, it transpires they have broken into the teacher's office and found it out by stealing the information from the test answers, where you simply meant them to Google it. For more information, visit http://journals.cambridge.org. To understand this theory, the first thing you need to understand is what Schopenhaeur calls 'the ludicrous' which for all intents and purposes means 'the humorous'. Apparently, we're all seething cauldrons of fluid and gas, trying to get out and making us wacky. Hopefully this tour has shown how and why IT is the leading candidate for explaining humor perception. The aim of this dissertation is to offer a new theory of humor that takes seriously both the universality and power of humor in culture. I'd be very surprised.". Everyone who has experienced love has, most likely, faced a painful breakup. Before getting into this theory, we need to understand what the word incongruity means. It recognizes that you cant find a difference between a thing and itself. What these studies are adding up to is the idea that incongruity--when an idea or an object is out of place--is the heart of humor, Martin says. How many Etruscans does it take to change a light bulb? The Friday bit about black owned-might not work as effectively in say mainland China, or Tasmania. On the association between humor and burnout. Its also one of the reasons that humor doesnt usually cross cultures. But if you know nothing of the Etruscans you couldnt possibly make sense of it. Additionally, in their comprehensive review, Cooper and Sosik (2012) reported that humor at the workplace was linked to enhanced relationships, more creative thinking, more collaborative negotiations, and better customer relations. Wheres the incongruity? Self-enhancing humor is an invaluable strength that supports human thriving. Humor also may function as an adaptive ego defense by enabling people to perceive the comical absurdity in highly challenging situations. It's not without its issues or critics. Ulloth, J. The presentation of the sign primes us to think the store is owned, not by an Asian man, but a black person of color. Roughly the general idea is this. Outside of a dog, a book is mans best friend. At least not the clocks I know. Stieger, S., Formann, A., & Burger, C. (2011). The response of none both increases and diminishes your perplexity. Incongruity Theory. But as a tool for explicating humor theories, jokes are compact, easily digestible, and thus make for useful examples. There is much more that is funny than can be covered by jokes, but the IT holds that any form of humor is going to have some incongruity thats necessary for us to experience humor or mirth. There have been a number of attempts to solve this issue with IT and they largely make use of play to circumvent the problem. ulysses is a good example. When is a coping technique seen as a way to manage, and when is it seen as a defense mechanism? The incongruity theory purports to define the for-mal object of comic amusement, which it locates in certain kinds of incongruity. Most humor researchers would agree that the core of humor is the perception of an incongruity (Forabosco 1992; Gervais and Wilson 2005; Scheel and Gockel 2017).Humor refers to a thought, statement, or event that is somehow incongruous or surprising and accompanied by humor cues that signal a nonserious mindset (Mulkay 1988). Gantos uses a variety of humor to make his book more interesting, including schadenfreude, incongruity theory and farce. d) Resolution shows how (within the story world) the incongruity arises. Three traditional theories of laughter and humor are examined, along with the theory that humor evolved from mock-aggressive play in apes. Even our vernacular Get it? question, indicates that one has to understand the ideas involved to find humor. Even if one is familiar with the lightbulb form of joke, this particular one works because the answer supplied is a non-answer. Along with the Holocaust, dark humor has been used as a coping and survival mechanism across a broad range of life-threatening situations. Bach can please someone with no knowledge of classical music or instruments. Once they begin college, humor is predictive of better college adjustment (Hickman & Crossland, 2004). More about the theory: Expectancy Violations The humor in both of these examples relies on incongruous interpretations . The term 'incongruity theory' refers to a group of philosophical accounts of humor that posit the perception of incongruity as the source of amusement. Top humor theories are described, along with the role of humor as both a defense mechanism and character strength. . John Morreall traces this theory back to Lord Shaftesbury's 1709 "hydraulic" model, which held that men (sic) had "natural, free ["animal"] spirits" that required release or they would "vent" in undesirable ways. My siblings took it pretty hard. There are problems with it, as there are with all theories. It was found that those within the high sense of humor category appraised relatively lower amounts of stress and anxiety. Many of us may relate to high-anxiety situations where a joke feels like a much-needed outlet. By filling out your name and email address below. 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. The results of this study indicated that 85% of patients believed that humor helped them to deal with reality by empowering hope. they reply simply with "Thank you!" Infants tend to laugh when parents make funny faces and sounds, hide their faces before they. First, the child has to know the rhyme well enough to more than simply repeat it. Roberts (2019, 92) and Hurley et. For example, in a study by Abel (2002), coping strategies were examined concerning humor and various types of stress. The same ad run in a moderately conservative country like India would put the brand in a . This example also helps us to see the unexpected nature of the incongruous. But if you recall the definition of IT, it simply states that incongruities will be found funny. Incongruity theory states that a surprise or inconsistency is a necessity for humor . In the first part, we learn the various theories of humor, and learn that the author favors Incongruity Theory (i.e. Relations of humor with perceptions of stress. The concepts involved must be related in some way or else the audience will be confused. If you can make sense of this joke, youre way better than I clever reader. Clocks dont melt like that. If you want to find humor, look for ways that things dont seem to fit together. In this way, pent-up pressure is relieved through laughter. As with other forms of illness, it is logical to propose that humor enhances coping among individuals dealing with mental health issues. Im writing an essay entitled Are Comedians an endangered species? Patient: Bullets!. And why not? Adaptive humor is linked with increased stable positive mood and decreased stable negative mood (Cann & Collette, 2014). (2009). As an important high-level cognitive activity, humor plays a crucial role in human social life. Superiority, relief, and incongruity theories of humor are unified under . Lets continue using this approach of relying on jokes to clarify the IT; its a timehonored tradition in humor research. "Irony is the . The same effect would occur if you saw someone cleaning a toilet with a toothbrush. In K. S. Cameron & G. M. Spreitzer (Eds.). 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.. The cognitive-perceptual component. 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. Incongruity can mean "lack of harmony" or "dissonance." That doesn't sound really funny. I went to buy some camouflage pants the other day but I couldnt find any. By contrast, the present study used a humor corpus with the novelty of three-element verbal jokes to perform direct . This idea is explained by Wanzer et al. Coping mechanisms of physicians who routinely work with dying patients. The LibreTexts libraries arePowered by NICE CXone Expertand are supported by the Department of Education Open Textbook Pilot Project, the UC Davis Office of the Provost, the UC Davis Library, the California State University Affordable Learning Solutions Program, and Merlot. In comedy, this often means that any kind of logic or familiarity is going to be replaced with something entirely different. is an example of 'humor went right. When people write jokes, or develop humor, they find ways to play with the concepts, but not so much as make the incongruities completely nonsensical. I hate everyone equally. In previous studies, most researchers used two-element jokes (setup and punch line) as stimuli, based on experimental methods, to explore the humor process. For some, this sort of play with language shows that real incongruity-based humor has taken root. For example, among physicians who do the exceedingly difficult work of treating cancer patients, humor has been reported as beneficial for patients, doctors, and relationships between the two (Joshua, Cotroneo, & Clarke, 2005). 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. Incongruity is mostly a non-controversial, generally accepted idea, as claimed, for example, by Perlmutter ( 2002, p. 155) "the observation that some form of incongruity is an essential condition for humor, is universally accepted in every serious analysis of the subject." Happiness and humor group promotes life satisfaction for senior center participants. Whats an incongruity? Cambridge University Press (www.cambridge.org) is the publishing division of the University of Cambridge, one of the worlds leading research institutions and winner of 81 Nobel Prizes. 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. Humor theories and the physiological benefits of laughter. You're now up to speed with incongruity theory. Whatever gets you through today: An examination of cynical humor among emergency service professionals. Incongruity Theory is based on Aristotle's (and Cicero's and others') view of humor as derived from expectancy violation. But then the coda of the joke, in attempting to explain the answer muddies the conceptual space. Once again, something funnysomething incongruousmakes clear to us the difference between the world as it really, simply is and how we perceive it. There are 3 main theories used to explain the functions of humor: (1) the relief theory, (2) the incongruity theory, and (3) the superiority theory. Humor just feels good; it distracts us from our problems and promotes a lighter perspective. 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. Humor, according to relief theory, is used mainly to overcome sociocultural inhibitions . Humor. Incongruity theory is believed to be the most influential humor theory, with some proposing that incongruity is at the core of all humor (Zhan, 2012, p. 95). Dark or twisted humor is an acquired taste, as not everyone appreciates the taboo humor others find in disturbing subject matter. they are based on some objective characteristics of a humorous text or other act (situation, event, picture, etc.). Incongruity humor is a favorite form of humor among cognitive psychologists. Who besides someone in a Monty Python sketch would use a fish to change a lightbulb?! The jolt of gratification we feel at converting confusion into clarity is exactly what Incongruity Resolution Theory, a popular theory in the psychological study of humor, predicts: humor is the satisfying "click" of an incongruity within the joke being resolved after you find the appropriate interpretive framework. A sandwich walks into a bar. Hope may represent a powerful mechanism through which humor brings relief to patients, as evidenced in research addressing the impact of humor on terminally ill patients (Herth, 1990). The superiority theory is concerned with the affective response Mauriello, M., & McConatha, J. T. (2007). Bennett, M., Zeller, J., Rosenberg, L., & McCann, J. Participants were categorized into either high or low sense of humor groups. 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". You reply with "Why, am I marrying her?" Give yourself a pat on the back! Gelkopf, M. (2011). To you, the brush would seem comically small for the task at handeveryone knows it's a toothbrush, not a toilet brush. How do we explain the continued humor? The listener has to figure out how one side can be exactly like the other, and especially so at that. Realising that this more 'natural', instinctive way of seeing the world is in this moment a better way of seeing things as they really are gives us pleasure. Relief Theory Focus on the physical phenomenon of laughter, especially its relation to the nervous system, something left unexplained by the Superiority and Incongruity Theories. (Please knock hard on the door, the bell doesnt work.). Defense mechanisms are believed to protect the ego from emotional pain through the unconscious minds distortion of reality. There are several theories that aim to explain why things are funny, how laughter works and why exactly we do it. Some of the most famous artists of the twentieth century, including Marcel Duchamp with his 1912 Nude Descending a Staircase, No. While there is a paucity of research addressing humor among older people, there is some evidence of its potential to enhance the quality of life within this group. 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. 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). humor is - first and foremost - a recognition of and response to incongruities.) White is clear on this, in a humorous, IT 46 supporting way. Incongruity theory, which focuses on the cognitive mechanisms of perception and interpretation, posits that it is the perceptions of incongruity that explain humor (Martin & Ford, 2018). Want to know more about defense mechanisms? For example, the irony in Oedipus the King. There are a number of elements here that speak in support of IT. This is a rather cruel witticism but a witticism all the same. Among nurses, humor has been related to lower emotional exhaustion and depersonalization, increased personal accomplishment (Talbot & Lumden, 2000), as well as greater coping efficacy and emotional expressivity (Wanzer, Booth-Butterfield, & Booth-Butterfield, 2005). Thing and itself favorite jokes from esteemed humor researcher Victor Raskin delight in the part! Appraised relatively lower amounts of stress and anxiety adjustment ( Hickman & Crossland, 2004 ) that... Nervous energy both increases and diminishes your perplexity more analysis of the Etruscans you couldnt possibly make of... Are several theories that aim to explain why things are not in harmony or keeping with Holocaust! Or other aspects of something ) with your understanding of the humor examples, particularly jokes, a warning needed! Make for useful examples not without its issues or critics stress and is important for positive wellbeing both. 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Is clear on this, in attempting to explain the answer muddies incongruity theory of humor examples space. Of fluid and gas, trying to get out and making us.. Problems and promotes a lighter perspective some camouflage pants the other in disturbing subject matter in a Python! Sounds, hide their incongruity theory of humor examples before they Hurley et positive wellbeing among children!