Understanding The Psychology Of Funny
According to one popular academic definition, something becomes funny when people perceive it as funny, whether or not it actually produces the desired emotional response in them. However, while everyone laughs at least occasionally, laughter is not a reliable indicator to what makes something funny. Some people find enjoyment in watching others struggle. It may even be the laughter of others that fills us with warmth and with a desire to help others, but that is only part of the equation.
What actually makes something funny can be different for each individual. Humor, like the definition above, hinges on the reaction of others. It also depends on the type of response. In other words, we can laugh at ourselves for leading some sort of social misbehavior, but we cannot take the same lesson in stride when others respond in kind.
The inability to recognize and appreciate a situation that is marked by a marked difference in social interaction can also lead to a condition called funny bone. The term funny bone refers to an imaginary organ, located inside the head, which is activated whenever a person is subjected to humor. In more scientific terms, this imaginary bone connects people who are highly entertained by other people with those who are more entertained by themselves. When funny bone is activated, it helps people recognize the difference between genuine and impromptu amusement.
Another view on the relation between humor and the law of incongruity is represented by the bargaining theory. The bargaining theory suggests that one response is associated with another through the perceived violation of expectations. In other words, if a social situation does not fulfill our expectations, we will feel that the fulfillment of expectations is threatened by the behavior of others, and we will attempt to find a remedy by being funny or by engaging in another activity that is similar to the original purpose of the social event in the first place. This theory predicts that people will not only try to find a remedy for the incongruity, but they will also try to intensify the incongruity. The result is the emergence of a marked deviation from the original agreement that was established in the original environment.
One of the main reasons why people find amusement in other things is that we all respond to and interpret the world differently. One of the best ways to analyze the effects of humor on the mind is to ask a group of people to complete a task that does not have any particular meaning to them. Then, observe how each of these individuals behaves. The funny behavior that each member of the group exhibits may be the product of a benign intent, or it may be the effect of a violation of social expectations.
There are many theories that explain the phenomenon of humour. It is important to note that these different theories have different predictions about the relative frequency with which humour occurs, and therefore the relative intensity with which it occurs. However, all of them share an assumption about the nature of humour and the reason it may be entertaining. The assumption is that there is a balance between the seriousness of serious analysis and the entertainment value of a funny moment.