Humorous Communication Theory

Why We Use and Laugh at Humor

There are three broad and competing theories of why we use humor: to express superiority, to relieve tension, and to make sense of incongruity. Though each of these conceptions does not provide a universal understanding of humor, taken together they can form a scheme to help us fully appreciate the complexity of our motivations for using humor. From a communication perspective, scholars should also consider not just the motivations of the humorist but why the audience corroborates a symbol or message as humorous with its laughter.

The origins of the superiority theory of humor trace back to Aristotle, but in recent literature the theory is usually attributed to the writings of Thomas Hobbes. Hobbes believed that all human action arises out of the desire for self-preservation. The passion of laughter is then the expression of sudden glory that humor brings as another is ridiculed. Superiority humor is usually associated with laughing at others' perceived inadequacies, in effect making a caricature of the target that centers on a scorned quality. Kenneth Burke's burlesque frame describes how humor exaggerates the absurdity and neglects the humanity of a situation. For example, Sen. John Kerry never recovered from his caricature as a flip flopper in the 2004 U.S. presidential election campaign.

Superiority can be ugly and can reflect the brutish side of the joke teller and the corresponding coarse qualities of the laughing audience. For this reason a joke that ridicules requires strong audience analysis and can be used effectively to reinforce social bonds. If ridicule is used unsuccessfully, the opposite is true. Consider if a person of perceived privilege (or hierarchical authority) makes fun of a person or group with less [Page 481]perceived power: He or she runs the risk of being interpreted not as a humorist but as a bully. Don Imus's racist caricature of the Rutgers women's basketball team in 2007 is an example. Curiously, humor as self-derision can be considered superiority at its base. When a joke teller is laughed at, it demonstrates the duality of humor. The humorist is also recognized for his or her honesty and self-confidence.

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