Abstract
Humour processing is a complex information-processing task that is dependent on cognitive and emotional aspects which presumably influence frame-shifting and conceptual blending, mental operations that underlie humour processing. The aim of the current study was to find distinctive groups of subjects with respect to black humour processing, intellectual capacities, mood disturbance and aggressiveness. A total of 156 adults rated black humour cartoons and conducted measurements of verbal and nonverbal intelligence, mood disturbance and aggressiveness. Cluster analysis yields three groups comprising following properties: (1) moderate black humour preference and moderate comprehension; average nonverbal and verbal intelligence; low mood disturbance and moderate aggressiveness; (2) low black humour preference and moderate comprehension; average nonverbal and verbal intelligence, high mood disturbance and high aggressiveness; and (3) high black humour preference and high comprehension; high nonverbal and verbal intelligence; no mood disturbance and low aggressiveness. Age and gender do not differ significantly, differences in education level can be found. Black humour preference and comprehension are positively associated with higher verbal and nonverbal intelligence as well as higher levels of education. Emotional instability and higher aggressiveness apparently lead to decreased levels of pleasure when dealing with black humour. These results support the hypothesis that humour processing involves cognitive as well as affective components and suggest that these variables influence the execution of frame-shifting and conceptual blending in the course of humour processing.
Highlights
Definition of black humourBlack humour is defined as a kind of humour that treats sinister subjects like death, disease, deformity, handicap or warfare with bitter amusement (Mindess et al 1985; Baldick 2001) and presents such tragic, distressing or morbid topics in humorous terms (Oxford dictionaries 2016)
The results of the current study show three distinctive groups with respect to comprehension as well as preference of black humour
The most surprising result is that subjects who show the highest values with respect to black humour preference and comprehension show high values with respect to intelligence, have higher education levels and show lowest values regarding mood disturbance and aggression
Summary
Definition of black humourBlack humour is defined as a kind of humour that treats sinister subjects like death, disease, deformity, handicap or warfare with bitter amusement (Mindess et al 1985; Baldick 2001) and presents such tragic, distressing or morbid topics in humorous terms (Oxford dictionaries 2016). The word ‘years’ in the latter sentence calls forth a reinterpretation of the word ‘time’ as time in prison, evoking a shifting of the initial frame ‘busyprofessional’ into the frame ‘crooked-businessman’ (Coulson and Williams 2005) Another cognitive operation that underlies humour processing is called ‘blending’ which requires people to combine cognitive models from different domains into new concepts (Coulson 2001). In such a way, humour is often based on ‘frame blends’ (Hofstadter and Gabora 1989) which require the blurring of two distant scenarios so as to create a humorous hybrid situation composed of aspects of each situation. It was shown that these operations underlying humour processing depend on cognitive abilities (Coulson 2001) and that increased cognitive ability is necessary to understand a joke (Coulson and Kutas 1998)
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