Makes a Joke Funny

Jokes have been a part of human culture for millennia. They are found in books of humor, at the end of articles in magazines and newspapers and in the everyday conversations of our families and friends. They can be humorous, but not always funny; they can be serious or slapstick; and they can range from the merest smile to explosive laughter. In spite of this wide variety, there are some common themes in jokes and humour. These themes include the perception of incongruity between a concept and its situation, the violation of social taboos or expectations and the resolution of tension or mocking.

Sigmund Freud was one of the first modern scholars to recognise jokes and humour as worthy objects of study. His 1905 book “Joke and its Relation to the Unconscious” is a classic text on the topic. It is a complex task to understand what makes a joke funny and the reasons behind individual responses to a joke vary widely among individuals, cultures and time periods. Some of the theories of jokes and humour that have been proposed by psychologists include superiority and relief theories, behavioural theory and script-based semantic theory.

The incongruity theory suggests that for a joke to be funny, there must be some mismatch between the expectation of the audience and the content of the joke. For example, a joke about a dead baby or an elephant must shock the audience by presenting something absurd or contradictory to their expectations.

What Makes a Joke Funny?

According to the behavioural theory of jokes, for a joke to be funny it must violate a social norm. This could be a moral, ethical or social taboo or a cognitive belief. For example, a joke about obliviousness or stupidity violates a sense of social etiquette and the belief that people should be aware of what they are doing at all times.

In a script-based semantic theory of jokes, a pun must cause the audience to reinterpret the joke by shifting from its initial interpretation to a secondary, conflicting interpretation. The punchline of a joke is the pivot point at which this occurs. Victor Raskin argues that the incongruity and resolution of a pun creates humour.

Some of the themes mentioned in jokes and humour are shared by all people, regardless of culture or time. These themes include the feeling of superiority over others, a relief of repressed emotions or anxieties and the feeling that some things are just funny. These themes are supported by several scientific studies relating to jokes and humour.

Another reason why jokes and humour are so popular is that they can provide a social bonding experience. They can also be used as a way to get to know people, for example by sharing stories about embarrassing or uncomfortable situations that have occurred in their lives. Occasionally, jokes are used as markers of group identity, such as the use of dirty jokes among pre-adolescents. Jokes can also serve as a marker of the group’s attitude towards certain topics, such as religion, politics and sexuality.