Probably there is an imperceptible touch of something permanent that one feels instinctively to adhere to true humour, whereas wit may be the mere conversational shooting up of "smartness"--a bright feather, to be blown into space the second after it is launched...Wit seems to be counted a very poor relation to Humour....Humour is never artificial. - quoted in Sydney Morning Herald, September 17, 1895, , pp. 5-6.
The true and lasting genius of humour does not drag you thus to boxes labelled 'pathos,' 'humour,' and show you all the mechanism of the inimitable puppets that are going to perform. How I used to laugh at Simon Tapperwit, and the Wellers, and a host more! But I can't do it now somehow; and time, it seems to me, is the true test of humour. It must be antiseptic. - quoted in Sydney Morning Herald, September 17, 1895, pp. 5-6.
essay on humour and pathos in poor relation
The social transformation model of humour predicts that specific characteristics, such as physical attractiveness, interact with humour.[21] This model involves linkages between the humorist, an audience, and the subject matter of the humour.[21] The two transformations associated with this particular model involves the subject matter of the humour, and the change in the audience's perception of the humorous person, therefore establishing a relationship between the humorous speaker and the audience.[21] The social transformation model views humour as adaptive because it communicates the present desire to be humorous as well as future intentions of being humorous.[21] This model is used with deliberate self-deprecating humour where one is communicating with desires to be accepted into someone else's specific social group.[21] Although self-deprecating humour communicates weakness and fallibility in the bid to gain another's affection, it can be concluded from the model that this type of humour can increase romantic attraction towards the humorist when other variables are also favourable.[21]
90% of men and 81% of women, all college students, report having a sense of humour is a crucial characteristic looked for in a romantic partner.[22] Humour and honesty were ranked as the two most important attributes in a significant other.[23] It has since been recorded that humour becomes more evident and significantly more important as the level of commitment in a romantic relationship increases.[24] Recent research suggests expressions of humour in relation to physical attractiveness are two major factors in the desire for future interaction.[21] Women regard physical attractiveness less highly compared to men when it came to dating, a serious relationship, and sexual intercourse.[21] However, women rate humorous men more desirable than nonhumorous individuals for a serious relationship or marriage, but only when these men were physically attractive.[21]
Furthermore, humorous people are perceived by others to be more cheerful but less intellectual than nonhumorous people. Self-deprecating humour has been found to increase one's desirability and physical attractiveness to others for committed relationships.[21] The results of a study conducted by McMaster University suggest humour can positively affect one's desirability for a specific relationship partner, but this effect is only most likely to occur when men use humour and are evaluated by women.[25] No evidence was found to suggest men prefer women with a sense of humour as partners, nor women preferring other women with a sense of humour as potential partners.[25] When women were given the forced-choice design in the study, they chose funny men as potential relationship partners even though they rated them as being less honest and intelligent.[25] Post-Hoc analysis showed no relationship between humour quality and favourable judgments.[25]
In the study on humour and psychological well-being, research has concluded that high levels of adaptive type humour (affiliative and self-enhancing) is associated with better self-esteem, positive affect, greater self-competency, as well as anxiety control and social interactions.[31] All of which are constituents of psychological wellbeing. Additionally, adaptive humour styles may enable people to preserve their sense of wellbeing despite psychological problems.[27] In contrast, maladaptive humour types (aggressive and self-defeating) are associated with poorer overall psychological wellbeing,[31] emphasis on higher levels of anxiety and depression. Therefore, humour may have detrimental effects on psychological wellbeing, only if that humour is of negative characteristics.[31]
A study designed to test the positive physiological effects of humour, the relationship between being exposed to humour and pain tolerance in particular, was conducted in 1994 by Karen Zwyer, Barbara Velker, and Willibald Ruch. To test the effects of humour on pain tolerance the test subjects were first exposed to a short humorous video clip and then exposed to the cold pressor test. To identify the aspects of humour which might contribute to an increase in pain tolerance the study separated its fifty-six female participants into three groups, cheerfulness, exhilaration and humour production. The subjects were further separated into two groups, high Trait-Cheerfulness and high Trait-Seriousness according to the State-Trait-Cheerfulness-Inventory. The instructions for the three groups were as follows: the cheerfulness group were told to get excited about the movie without laughing or smiling, the exhilaration group was told to laugh and smile excessively, exaggerating their natural reactions, the humour production group was told to make humorous comments about the video clip as they watched. To ensure that the participants actually found the movie humorous and that it produced the desired effects the participants took a survey on the topic which resulted in a mean score of 3.64 out of 5. The results of the Cold Press Test showed that the participants in all three groups experienced a higher pain threshold and a higher pain tolerance than previous to the film. The results did not show a significant difference between the three groups.[32]
There are also potential relationships between humour and having a healthy immune system. SIgA is a type of antibody that protects the body from infections. In a method similar to the previous experiment, the participants were shown a short humorous video clip and then tested for the effects. The participants showed a significant increase in SIgA levels.[33]
The significant role that laughter and fun play in organisational life has been seen as a sociological phenomenon and has increasingly been recognised as also creating a sense of involvement and possible comradery among workers.[38]Sharing humour at work not only offers a relief from boredom, but canalso build relationships, improve camaraderie between colleagues andcreate positive affect.[37] Humour in the workplace may also relieve tension and can be used as a coping strategy.[37]In fact, one of the most agreed upon key impacts that workplace humourhas on people's well-being, is the use of humour as a coping strategy toaid in dealing with daily stresses, adversity or other difficultsituations.[37]Sharing a laugh with a few colleagues may improve moods, which ispleasurable, and people perceive this as positively affecting theirability to cope.[37]Fun and enjoyment are critical in people's lives and the ability forcolleagues to be able to laugh during work, through banter or other,promotes harmony and a sense of cohesiveness.[37]
One of the main focuses of modern psychological humour theory and research is to establish and clarify the correlation between humour and laughter. The major empirical findings here are that laughter and humour do not always have a one-to-one association. While most previous theories assumed the connection between the two almost to the point of them being synonymous, psychology has been able to scientifically and empirically investigate the supposed connection, its implications, and significance.
This brings into question the definition of humour, then. If it is to be defined by the cognitive processes which display laughter, then humour itself can encompass a variety of negative as well as positive emotions. However, if humour is limited to positive emotions and things which cause positive affect, it must be delimited from laughter and their relationship should be further defined.
Studies have shown that constant humour in the ageing process gives health benefits to individuals. Such benefits as higher self-esteem, lower levels of depression, anxiety, and perceived stress, and a more positive self-concept as well as other health benefits which have been recorded and acknowledged through various studies.[52][53] Even patients with specific diseases have shown improvement with ageing using humour.[54] Overall there is a strong correlation through constant humour in ageing and better health in the individuals.
Another way that research indicates that humour helps with the ageing process, is through helping the individual to create and maintain strong social relationship during transitory periods in their lives.[54] One such example is when people are moved into nursing homes or other facilities of care. With this transition certain social interactions with friend and family may be limited forcing the individual to look elsewhere for these social interactions. Humour has been shown to make transitions easier, as humour is shown reduce stress and facilitate socialisation and serves as a social bonding function.[55] Humour may also help the transition in helping the individual to maintain positive feelings towards those who are enforcing the changes in their lives. These new social interactions can be critical for these transitions in their lives and humour will help these new social interactions to take place making these transitions easier.
Lovable simpletons like Micawber, Sam Welle, etc, receive affectionate endearing fondling. Dickens can be anointed as the king of English Humorists with an international reputation. Original in his humorous conceptions he makes those conceptions travel through various levels of sympathy, geniality, hilarity, facetious ridicule, farcical satire and a happy blending of humour and pathos in due proportions. Comic and pathetic ingredients are blended together to form a very comprehensive whole touching the heart of aesthetic richness. 2ff7e9595c
Comments