Disparagement humor: Could laughter dissolve hostility?

Subjects: Psychology >> Social Psychology submitted time 2021-11-04

李龙骄 王芳

Abstract： Disparagement humor refers to communication that contains denigration but elicits amusement. Relief theory, superiority theory, incongruity-resolution theory, and benign violation theory attempt to explain the psychological mechanism. Humor does not always arise from disparagement. The humorous effect is influenced by the group identity and attitude of the receiver, the psychological distance between the receiver and the target of disparagement, and the receiver’s personality and cultural background. Disparagement humor could contribute to the release of prejudice and the legitimation of social dominance orientation, but has inconsistent effect on interpersonal relations. The proposed Integrative Process Model of Disparagement Humor describes the mechanisms, precursors, and consequences of disparagement humor in tandem and could serve as a scaffold for future research. Future research should also devote more attention to the negative social impacts of disparagement humor and the corresponding interventions, the potential positive effects of disparagement humor on intergroup relations and social equity, as well as the disparagement humor emerging from Chinese socio-cultural background. " " "

Peer Review Status:Awaiting Review

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