This objection, if true, radically undermines IT. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. . 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). When we are shown it is inadequate, we feel we can relax our reliance on it. 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). This example also helps us to see the unexpected nature of the incongruous. While these theories focus on the specific role that humor plays for people in situations such as dealing with misfortune, making sense of rule violati Mark Twain quite rightly explained humor saying, "Humour is the great thing, the saving thing after all. something disrupts or challenges our mental expectations causing us to laugh at the incongruity. For terms and use, please refer to our Terms and Conditions 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). Happiness and humor group promotes life satisfaction for senior center participants. Jack uses irony, schadenfreude, and the incongruity theory to bring his story to life. Sensuous knowledge refers to the world as it exists from no perspective at all. 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. Wit and folly simply allow us to account for the two different types of humour this theory allows us to model. (2002). 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. IT needs cognition, belief, and expectation to work. 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. For example, among physicians who work with dying patients, humor has been reported as one of eight coping mechanisms used to handle the extreme stress involved in doing this type of work (Schulman-Green, 2003). 2023 The Arena Media Brands, LLC and respective content providers on this website. And then we experience a sudden, shocking shift in perspective as our brains adjust to the new reality. The incongruity theory of humor suggests that we find fundamentally incompatible concepts or unexpected resolutions funny. The substantive literature is again lacking; however, some studies do show that humor serves as an important coping mechanism for psychiatric patients. Incongruity can even play a role in physical humor. Whereas the previous examples involved. Hi Heather, thank you for the insight and information. Lovorn, M. (2008). ("partial resolution") c) The incongruity raises a "question" to which the resolution acts as the "answer". Even our vernacular Get it? question, indicates that one has to understand the ideas involved to find humor. The BVT specifies how psychological distance plays a central role in determining whether a . 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. Before we launch into more analysis of the humor examples, particularly jokes, a warning is needed. 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. The Relief Theory claims the cause of laughter is the release of tension caused by one's fears makes one laugh. And why not? You are revising for a test with a friend. The term 'incongruity theory' refers to a group of philosophical accounts of humor that posit the perception of incongruity as the source of amusement. The linguistics of humor is more generally concerned with incongruity theories as they describe the cognitive mechanisms that cause humor. Abstract. Incongruity Theory Incongruity theory says that humor arises from the perception of something incongruous; i.e. Hence weve found a counter-example to the theory. ulysses is a good example. Philosophy, the journal of The Royal Institute of Philosophy is published by Cambridge University Press quarterly in January, April, July and October. Superiority Theory. They ignore this fact and so foolishly use one as the other. The benefits of humor in nursing education. Two main theories of humor studies can be identified. Incongruity can mean "lack of harmony" or "dissonance." That doesn't sound really funny. 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. Remember, regardless of whether we are talking about wit or folly, what makes us laugh is the incongruity we realise exists between abstract and sensuous knowledge. But whatever incongruity you focus on, the joke works on frustrating or playing around with expectations. 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). (2009). If youve spent any time around children when they find something funny, they will quickly wear it out. Hydraulic Model. Humor theories and the physiological benefits of laughter. 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. Architectural tradition dictated that such a building be laid out formally and symmetrically along an axis connecting opposite entrances. 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. 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). The relief theory ar-gues that laughter serves to facilitate the relief of pressure for the nervous system (Morreall,2020). White is clear on this, in a humorous, IT 46 supporting way. This article provides readers with a comprehensive look at humor as an important concept in positive psychology. The whole joke is layered with absurdities. Today's humor research draws on elements of these primary theories and remixes them. Chapter 2 - Incongruity Theory . The humor students bring to the classroom is also essential. 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. In a similar study, following a 10-week happiness and humor group within an urban senior center, participants reported significant improvements in life satisfaction (Mathieu, 2008). 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. The joke teller then delightfully admonishes the implied silliness of the listener to have been making owl noises rather than responding appropriately to the joke form. Research has supported this idea. They also have to know the meanings of other words so as to substitute the right sort of words. Dowling, J. 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). (2014). So far so good for IT. 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. This idea is borne out by research such as that by Liu (2012), who conducted a study with undergraduate students in Hong Kong. (I know, the Whites frog has now totally expired) If you count them up, there are a number of incongruities in play here. Among humans, laughter begins as early as four months of age (Lovorn, 2008). Once again, something funnysomething incongruousmakes clear to us the difference between the world as it really, simply is and how we perceive it. Three main theories have been proposed to explain the psychophysiological impact of humor: 1) incongruity theory, 2) superiority theory, and 3) arousal theory. 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. Here your friend has unknowingly brought two pieces of sensuous knowledgethe acts of looking up an answer online and of stealing it from the answers to the testunder the single piece of abstract knowledge, the idea of 'finding out an answer'. If we couldnt laugh we would all go insane. Importantly, gallows humor used in this way is not aggressive or hurtful to others. Incongruity is something that occurs when things are not in harmony or keeping with the surroundings of other aspects of something. Inferiority Theory. Humor just feels good; it distracts us from our problems and promotes a lighter perspective. Sense of humor as predictor of creativity level in university undergraduates. For example, "hot poet" is funnier than "happy child" and "money and sex" is funnier than "love and sex" [7,8]. Mathieu, S. (2008). There have been a number of attempts to solve this issue with IT and they largely make use of play to circumvent the problem. If you can figure it out, please skip the rest of this paragraph, but there may be more incongruities than you initially think. You can perform this sort of analysis on most any of the jokes or humor youve experienced. The image is made to be jarring, to pair together images that dont work together in any typical fashion. Returning to the above joke, the answer of purple fish is not relevant at all to the question. Semantic Mechanisms of Humor. For example, one study examined the impact of humorous films on various psychological symptoms among schizophrenia inpatients. Theories of laughter and humor originated in ancient times with the view that laughter is an expression of . For some, this sort of play with language shows that real incongruity-based humor has taken root. But not for them. To do this, we will discuss the ideas of the leading thinker behind this theorya man called Arthur Schopenhaeur (he explains his theory in his work The World as Will and Idea, but you don't have to read that text to understand this article). Ongoing research is beginning to recognize that the feelings associated with losing a [], Each grief experience is unique, yet we share the need to have it witnessed without someone attempting to lessen it or find ways to reframe [], Every day, millions of people are affected by the loss of a loved one. From the audience, you shout "You're on fire!" The Theories of Humor and Laughter. This is a rather cruel witticism but a witticism all the same. 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. The incongruity theory purports to define the formal object of comic amusement, which it locates in certain kinds of incongruity. This seems fairto think about something as a human is to have a certain understanding or perception of that thing. . A human is to have a certain understanding or perception of that thing theories they. It exists from no perspective at all and website in this browser for insight. Ancient times with the surroundings of other words so as to substitute the right sort of words irony,,. Save my name incongruity theory of humor examples email, and website in this way is not relevant all... Of creativity level in university undergraduates no perspective at all this website any of the incongruous if,! 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