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The Psychology of Humor

The Psychology of Humor. What is the difference between a theory of comedy and a theory of humor? The first may be simply sociological The second must have a psychological component This must include a theory of pleasure (i.e., “fun”) This must also include theory of humor (i.e., “funny”)

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The Psychology of Humor

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  1. The Psychology of Humor What is the difference between a theory of comedy and a theory of humor? • The first may be simply sociological • The second must have a psychological component • This must include a theory of pleasure (i.e., “fun”) • This must also include theory of humor (i.e., “funny”) • Rat’s have fun. Do they feel funny? How could you tell? • According to Billig, what is the pleasure of humor? Q:

  2. The Psychology of Humor A: What is the pleasure in seeing somebody embarrassed? What is the pleasure in behaving inappropriately? • It is different than the pleasure of play. (E.g., rats can’t feel it.) • Billig never explains!His implicit theory is something like this: • The pleasure of humor is innate, like the sweetness of sugar. • When somebody steps out of line, it feels good to either bring him back or push him out, with a mental nudge. • Social groups with no discipline wouldn’t do well, in evolution. • Social groups with only violent discipline wouldn’t do well, either. • When somebody draws a line for us to toe, it feels good to rub it out, with mental dismissal. • Individual selection favors the socially dominant. • Dominance through violence is risky to the individual and the group. • The pleasure of “disciplinary” humor is the pleasure of social domination. • It’s fun to be a bully. • It’s funny to be a bully in a way that entails little risk.

  3. The Psychology of Humor • Some Basic Discoveries: • Arousal • Fear and funny produce the same physiological responses • What’s the difference? • There must be different different brain structures involved • There is no discrete “funny” center • Neocortex,mesolimbicsystem, and connections between all involved • Parallel processing, mostly non-conscious • Some direct, e.g. infectious laughter • Some mediated by associations or schemas • Laughter mechanisms discrete from “funny” mechanisms • Pleasure is the incentive • The pleasure of “fun” is different than the pleasure of “funny” • Laughter and smiling have different origins (baby laugh; sticky joke) • Pleasure and pain can be simultaneous

  4. The Psychology of Humor Simultaneous Pleasure and Pain Melodrama: Steel Magnolias (1989, Herbert Ross) “Sometimes laughter is about life and death.” Stella Dallas (1937, King Vidor) “Smiling through tears.”

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