33 Humorless or Humor-Friendly Religion? Psychological Theory and Research
Abstract
The presence and function of humor within religions and religious texts, as well as the historical, often tense, relationships between religion and humor (humor targeting religion, religion questioning humor’s positivity), have been a fascinating object of research across humanities and social sciences. This chapter adopts a psychological perspective and examines, based on both theory and thorough review of considerable empirical research in the last 20 years, the following question: What is today, in people’s everyday life, the role of religion and individual religiosity on the use and appreciation of humor in general and specific humor styles in particular? Research reviewed here includes studies with various methodologies (surveys, experiments, self- and peer-ratings, behavioral measures) providing convergent evidence across countries, mostly from Europe and the Americas. Overall, both humor and religion constitute ways of self-transcendence. However, religion restricts the expression of, certainly, the - well-present in life - tendentious humor styles (transgressing social conventions and moral norms) and, occasionally to some extent, also of positive, adaptive humor. Inversely, humor diminishes religious and moral concerns. Cognitive, emotional, social, moral, and self-concept-related psychological explanations are presented. Future research should investigate the cross-religious generalizability of these findings and the costs and benefits of seriousness and humor’s moralization.
Abstract
The presence and function of humor within religions and religious texts, as well as the historical, often tense, relationships between religion and humor (humor targeting religion, religion questioning humor’s positivity), have been a fascinating object of research across humanities and social sciences. This chapter adopts a psychological perspective and examines, based on both theory and thorough review of considerable empirical research in the last 20 years, the following question: What is today, in people’s everyday life, the role of religion and individual religiosity on the use and appreciation of humor in general and specific humor styles in particular? Research reviewed here includes studies with various methodologies (surveys, experiments, self- and peer-ratings, behavioral measures) providing convergent evidence across countries, mostly from Europe and the Americas. Overall, both humor and religion constitute ways of self-transcendence. However, religion restricts the expression of, certainly, the - well-present in life - tendentious humor styles (transgressing social conventions and moral norms) and, occasionally to some extent, also of positive, adaptive humor. Inversely, humor diminishes religious and moral concerns. Cognitive, emotional, social, moral, and self-concept-related psychological explanations are presented. Future research should investigate the cross-religious generalizability of these findings and the costs and benefits of seriousness and humor’s moralization.
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter I
- Contents V
- Preface 1
-
Part 1: Essence of Humor: What Makes Something Funny?
-
Section 1: Psychological Processes: Why Do People Find Things Humorous?
- 1 Psychological Approaches to Humor: The Interaction of Cognition and Motivation 15
- 2 Personality Approaches: Beyond the ‘Sense of Humor’ 31
- 3 Evolutionary Approaches to Humor: Critical Review and New Advances 49
- 4 The Neuroscience of Humor 65
-
Section 2: Text Properties: What Makes a Text Humorous?
- 5 Computational Humor Models and Applications 87
- 6 The Role of Incongruity in Humorous Texts 105
- 7 Cognitive Approaches to Humor: Linguistic, Developmental, and Affective Science Considerations 125
- 8 Humor and Figurative Language 145
-
Section 3: Broader Social Context: How is Humor Shaped by Social Relations and Culture?
- 9 Failed Humor 165
- 10 Humor and Culture 181
- 11 Humor and Translation: Cultural Implications 201
- 12 Cultural Analysis of Racial and Ethnic Humor 221
-
Part 2: The Functions of Humor: How Do People Experience, Perform and Share Humor?
-
Section 1: Psychological Processes: What Functions Does Humor Serve for the Individual?
- 13 Effect of Humor on Cognition 243
- 14 Humor Appreciation Across the Lifespan 257
- 15 Humor, Health, and Well-Being: Is Humor Really Good for Us? 271
-
Section 2: Text Properties: What Contextual Factors Affect Humor Perception?
- 16 The Sociopragmatics of Humor 289
- 17 Conversational Humour 307
- 18 Satire and Parody 327
- 19 New Forms and Genres of Humor in Social Media 345
-
Section 3: Broader Social Context: How Does Humor Function in Social Relations and Culture?
- 20 Humor as a Double-Edged Sword: Uniting and Dividing in Social Interaction 365
- 21 The Role of Humor in Initiating Romantic Relationships 379
- 22 Gender and Humor: The New State of the Art 395
- 23 Ethnic Humor Across Cultures: Prevalence and Appeal 413
- 24 Disparagement Humor and Subversion 431
- 25 Humor in Media and Popular Culture 449
- 26 Political Humor 467
- 27 Culture and Comedy: Stand-up across Cultures 479
- 28 The Art and Efficacy of Clowning 495
- 29 The Dark Side of Stand-Up Comedy 509
- 30 Play or Power: The Social Significance of the Practical Joke 523
- 31 The Ethics of Humor and Comedy 539
- 32 Humor in Religious Contexts: An Overview 557
- 33 Humorless or Humor-Friendly Religion? Psychological Theory and Research 575
- Postscript: Humor: Universality, Genealogy, and Concept Formation 595
- Contributors 605
- Index 617
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter I
- Contents V
- Preface 1
-
Part 1: Essence of Humor: What Makes Something Funny?
-
Section 1: Psychological Processes: Why Do People Find Things Humorous?
- 1 Psychological Approaches to Humor: The Interaction of Cognition and Motivation 15
- 2 Personality Approaches: Beyond the ‘Sense of Humor’ 31
- 3 Evolutionary Approaches to Humor: Critical Review and New Advances 49
- 4 The Neuroscience of Humor 65
-
Section 2: Text Properties: What Makes a Text Humorous?
- 5 Computational Humor Models and Applications 87
- 6 The Role of Incongruity in Humorous Texts 105
- 7 Cognitive Approaches to Humor: Linguistic, Developmental, and Affective Science Considerations 125
- 8 Humor and Figurative Language 145
-
Section 3: Broader Social Context: How is Humor Shaped by Social Relations and Culture?
- 9 Failed Humor 165
- 10 Humor and Culture 181
- 11 Humor and Translation: Cultural Implications 201
- 12 Cultural Analysis of Racial and Ethnic Humor 221
-
Part 2: The Functions of Humor: How Do People Experience, Perform and Share Humor?
-
Section 1: Psychological Processes: What Functions Does Humor Serve for the Individual?
- 13 Effect of Humor on Cognition 243
- 14 Humor Appreciation Across the Lifespan 257
- 15 Humor, Health, and Well-Being: Is Humor Really Good for Us? 271
-
Section 2: Text Properties: What Contextual Factors Affect Humor Perception?
- 16 The Sociopragmatics of Humor 289
- 17 Conversational Humour 307
- 18 Satire and Parody 327
- 19 New Forms and Genres of Humor in Social Media 345
-
Section 3: Broader Social Context: How Does Humor Function in Social Relations and Culture?
- 20 Humor as a Double-Edged Sword: Uniting and Dividing in Social Interaction 365
- 21 The Role of Humor in Initiating Romantic Relationships 379
- 22 Gender and Humor: The New State of the Art 395
- 23 Ethnic Humor Across Cultures: Prevalence and Appeal 413
- 24 Disparagement Humor and Subversion 431
- 25 Humor in Media and Popular Culture 449
- 26 Political Humor 467
- 27 Culture and Comedy: Stand-up across Cultures 479
- 28 The Art and Efficacy of Clowning 495
- 29 The Dark Side of Stand-Up Comedy 509
- 30 Play or Power: The Social Significance of the Practical Joke 523
- 31 The Ethics of Humor and Comedy 539
- 32 Humor in Religious Contexts: An Overview 557
- 33 Humorless or Humor-Friendly Religion? Psychological Theory and Research 575
- Postscript: Humor: Universality, Genealogy, and Concept Formation 595
- Contributors 605
- Index 617
