Catholic theologians and monastics have always encouraged humor, emphasizing its power to heal and bring cultures together.
Academic rigor, journalistic flair
Articles on Humor
Displaying 1 - 20 of 28 articles
Cringe, corny and awkward − what’s not to love?
Jokes can be a healing contagion as they expose hypocrisy, spark laughter and open minds.
The show has served as the nation’s laugh track for decades. Who will take over when he retires?
Laughter is so fundamental that animals like chimps, rats and dogs share the ability with humans. But in people it serves more serious social functions than just letting others know you’re having fun.
While derision and mockery permeate airwaves and social media feeds, satire holds the key to creating a more informed, engaged electorate.
Today’s creepy clowns are not a divergence from tradition, but a return to it.
US President Calvin Coolidge hasn’t gone down in history for his triumphs or failures as president during the 1920s – but his dry sense of humor carries on.
Social media during the pandemic is not all doom scrolling and despair. Lighter memes have psychological benefits.
Critics have long pooh-poohed conservative comics. But in today’s fragmented media environment, right-wing comedy has become both a moneymaker and a force in politics.
Some critics are complaining that sex scenes have vanished from cinema. But they’re still very much present – in all their awkward, perverse glory.
Humor is a key ingredient to successful learning. Can educators keep the laughter going when learning takes place online?
Whether in the form of a discreet titter or a full-on roar, laughter comes with many benefits for physical and mental health.
A politician who wields a comeback with skill can use it as both a bludgeon and a shield, damaging the opponent without hurting their own popularity with voters.
Dads are taking parenting much more seriously. But according to a study of sitcoms, the stereotype of the foolish father remains stubbornly in place.
It isn’t wrong to laugh at coronavirus comedy. Rather a chortle here and there will help us through the crisis, and it may even help spread vital information and give comfort to those in need.
There are a few simple tricks anyone can use.
Online videos of Hitler getting angry at things, based on a 2004 film scene, have found enduring appeal and recently featured in a Fair Work Commission case. Why the furor?
A new study highlights the importance of the ‘intergroup sensitivity effect’ in comedy, which gives people license to tell certain jokes, but not others.
‘Two polar bears walk into a bar …’ is an unlikely opener for a joke, but memes and parodies are surprisingly effective ways to get people talking about climate change.
Top contributors
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Professor of Journalism, Indiana University
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Professor of Cognitive Psychology, Grinnell College
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Professor of Environmental Studies and Fellow in the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES), University of Colorado Boulder
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Assistant Professor of Psychology, Fort Lewis College
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Lecturer in Psychology, Aberystwyth University
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Adjunct Lecturer, Flinders University
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William R. Kenan Jr. Professor of Education, Furman University
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Executive Director of the Center for Media & Social Impact, Assistant Professor, American University School of Communication
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Assistant Professor of Psychology, University of Virginia
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Professor of International Affairs and Comparative Literature, Penn State
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Lecturer, The University of Queensland
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Postdoctoral Fellow of History, University of South Carolina
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Cornelia H. Dudley Professor of Psychology, Knox College
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Librarian for Anthropology, Folklore and Sociology, Indiana University
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Professor of Communication, UMass Amherst
