Humor research

Humor research is a multidisciplinary field which enters the domains of psychology, philosophy, linguistics, sociology, history and literature. More recently, computational humor, a subdomain of the computer science and artificial intelligence emerged, which uses computers to model humor. Research in humor has been done to understand the psychological and physiological effects, both positive and negative, on a person or groups of people. Research in humor has revealed many different theories of humor and many different kinds of humor including their functions and effects personally, in relationships, and in society.

Approaches to humor research

Humor research deals with a wide variety of issues, which can be categorized according to several theories of humor. A delineation between two distinct types of laughter, Duchenne and non-Duchenne, must be made to determine which theory applies.

Duchenne vs. non-Duchenne laughter

Duchenne laughter refers to laughter that is stimulus-driven and linked to some positive experience. This is usually the result of a perceived social incongruity. Non-Duchenne laughter refers to laughter that is unconnected to any emotional experience, but rather originates in the prefrontal, premotor, and motor areas of the brain. The study of humor often observes the former, as it can be tested in an experimental design, whereas an experimenter cannot provide a stimulus to evoke non-Duchenne laughter as it requires no stimulus.