Theories of Humor:
Philosopher Thomas Hobbes’s “Superiority Theory” said that we laugh at someone else’s inferiority. Later philosophers, including Frances Hutcheson, argued that what we are really laughing about is incongruity. We don’t go to asylums to laugh at the “inferior” beings, nor do we laugh at animals unless they resemble human beings. We laugh at someone who slips on a banana peel not because we feel superior, but because of the incongruity between our expectations and the sudden insight. And if the person who slips on a banana peel is pretentious, and is not seriously injured, we laugh even harder.
George Lakoff gives evidence that our view of the world is largely determined by the body we inhabit: Old vs. Young, White vs. Black, Male vs. Female, Strong vs. Weak, Educated vs. Uneducated, Farmer vs. Rancher, Muslim vs. Jewish vs. Christian, Norwegian vs. Spaniard, Athletic vs. Clumsy, etc. Lakoff and others have developed a theory based on this observation named “Embodiment.”
Victor Raskin is a linguist, and linguists tend to deal with one sentence at a time. Script Model Grammar allows linguists to deal with larger texts. Raskin talks about the structure of ajoke by saying that everything in the set-up of the joke is ambiguous but primed in the direction of the mundane. What the punch line of a joke does is to change the priming of the joke from the mundane to the dramatic, or scatological, etc. At this point the audience is able to see that the entire joke—set-up and punch line—have been ambiguous, and that the punch line has just changed the priming. Because the punch line allows the audience to see all of the ambiguity of the joke (both mundane and dramatic), the punch line is very epiphinal.
Don and Alleen Nilsen’s theory of humor analysis and synthesis relates to the Features (characteristics), the Functions (purposes), and Subjects (topics) of humor. The Features of humor include the following: Ambiguity, Exaggeration, Understatement, Hostility, Incongruity, Irony, Sudden Insight, Superiority, Surprise, Tension and Relief, A Trick or Twist, Word Play, Visual Imagery, etc. The Psychological Functions of humor are: To amuse, to establish superiority, to gain control, to persuade, to save face, to test limits, or to inbond or outbond with a social group. The Intellectual Functions of humor are: To amuse, to teach, to make connections, to compare two scripts—one mundane, and one dramatic. The Education Functions of humor are: To relax students, to teach facts, to argue and persuade, to teach vocabulary concepts, to teach careful observation, to problem solve, to engage students, and to aid memory enhancement. Because humor should be edgy, the Subjects of humor are the taboo subjects: Ethnic Identification, Politics, Sexual Roles and Body Parts, Occupations, Religion and Belief Systems. But taboos for Conservatives are not the same as taboos for liberals. Conservatives can use vulgarities, swear words, obscenities, or talk about sex, body parts, or religion. Progressives can’t talk about old people, ethnic differences, disabilities, LGBTQ issues, etc.
The most important theory of humor analysis and synthesis is called Incongruity and Incongruity resolution. For example, you could buy five pigs. On the pigs paint the numbers 1, 2, 3, and 5. Let them loose at WalMart and watch everybody keep looking for pig number 4.
Humor has been a subject of scholarly interest for centuries, leading to various theories to explain why certain things are perceived as funny. The primary theories include the incongruity theory, superiority theory, relief theory, benign violation theory, and play theory.
Incongruity Theory
Incongruity theory posits that humor arises when there is a discrepancy between what we expect and what occurs. The surprise or unexpected outcome leads to amusement. For example, a joke that follows a predictable path but ends with an unforeseen punchline exemplifies this theory (Morreall, 1983).
Superiority Theory
According to the superiority hypothesis, which dates back to the time of philosophers like Plato and Aristotle, humor is a result of sentiments of superiority. The apparent failures or misfortunes of others frequently cause laughter, which strengthens one's attitude of superiority (Plato, trans. 1968). An illustration of the audience's relative skill would be to laugh at a character who frequently makes stupid errors.
Relief Theory
The relief idea gained popularity thanks to Sigmund Freud, who suggested that comedy serves as a way to relieve psychological tension. People can release bottled-up nervous energy through laughter, which frequently serves as a coping strategy in stressful circumstances (Freud, 1905). For example, comedy may promote relaxation and reduce tension in tight situations.
Benign Violation Theory
Benign violation theory, a contemporary model, suggests that humor arises when something is perceived as violating social or moral norms but is simultaneously seen as non-threatening. For instance, a comedian might address a taboo subject that feels lighthearted and harmless, eliciting laughter (McGraw & Warren, 2010).
Play Theory
According to play theory, comedy is a type of social play that promotes creativity and social connection by suspending everyday expectations. This idea highlights how comedy fosters interpersonal interactions and is a social activity (Apte, 1985). Joking in a social context, for instance, can promote friendship and a sense of fun.
Comparison and Evaluation
Each theory highlights distinct aspects of humor, but they also intersect in significant ways:
- Incongruity vs. Superiority: Superiority theory concentrates on social dynamics and sentiments of hierarchy, whereas incongruity theory stresses cognitive surprise. . The former explains humor from wordplay or unexpected endings, whereas the latter better captures slapstick comedy where someone's misfortune evokes laughter.
- Relief Theory's Focus:The psychological effects of comedy, especially as a stress-relieving mechanism, are explained by relief theory. It does not, however, adequately explain circumstances in which humor is present without any antecedent tension (Freud, 1905).
- Benign Violation Theory's Integration: This theory bridges the cognitive and emotional dimensions of humor, explaining why violations are funny when framed as benign. However, defining "benign" across cultures and individuals can be challenging (McGraw & Warren, 2010).
- Play Theory's Social Emphasis: Play theory complements the other models by explaining humour's communal and interactive aspects. However, it may not address the specific cognitive mechanisms underlying why something is funny (Apte, 1985).
Although each theory provides insightful information, combining these viewpoints is probably necessary for a thorough grasp of comedy. A complex phenomena, humor is influenced by social, psychological, cultural, and cognitive elements.
References
- Apte, M. L. (1985). Humor and Laughter: An Anthropological Approach. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press.
- Freud, S. (1905). Jokes and Their Relation to the Unconscious. New York: Norton.
- McGraw, P., & Warren, C. (2010). Benign Violations: Making Immoral Behavior Funny. Psychological Science, 21(8), 1141–1149.
- Morreall, J. (1983). Taking Laughter Seriously. Albany, NY: SUNY Press.
- Plato. (1968). The Dialogues of Plato (B. Jowett, Trans.). London: Oxford University Press.
It is also suggested that you can research humor from the aspect of spiritual joy. Being filled in the Holy Spirit can help man boot his sense of humor.
Paul: You're absolutely right. Check out this PowerPoint about "Humor and Philosophy."
Maybe you can read Mark Twain's "The adventure of Huckberry Fin, for it explores the application of sense of humor in everyday life.
Paul: You're absolutely right. One example of humor and irony in Mark Twain's HUCKELBERRY FINN is that Huck is going down the Mississippi river on a raft with Jim, a runaway slave. And they're heading into the deep South, where slave owners treat their slaves even worse than in the North.
In Taiwan, some literary men also research the linguistic aspect of humor.
Paul: This is also true in the United States. Check out this PowerPoint about "Linguistic Humor and Language Play."