With Joel Warner (Cross posted on The Humor Code’s Psychology Today blog) With the holidays upon us, we’re taking a break from deconstructing what makes things funny and instead pondering the tradition that is Thanksgiving. We’re not talking about gathering with friends and family to express gratitude for what we
In a previous post, I suggested that a joke can be deemed “too late” (as opposed to “too soon”) if a lot of time has passed since the event being joked about. A more common reason that a joke can be seem irrelevant is when the audience doesn’t understand the
With Joel Warner (Cross posted on The Humor Code’s Psychology Today blog) Some of civilization’s great thinkers pondered the meaning of humor long and hard. Thomas Hobbes put forth the idea that humor emerges from superiority or “sudden glory” over an enemy. Immanuel Kant believed humor arose from a process
Power (or a lack thereof) has pervasive effects on human behavior and thought. We know, for example, that in contrast to the powerless, the powerful are more likely to take action, less likely to empathize with others, and more likely to be goal-directed in their behavior. But power is often
I was recently in New York as part of my Humor Code travels, and I met Paul Noth, a cartoonist whose work appears in The New Yorker. We talked about the types of cartoons that might have broad (even universal) appeal. He kindly agreed to a video interview: Comedy often
I launched my blog on August 3, 2010. Since then, I have posted 82 entries, and I have not missed a Wednesday post. That streak is now over. Although, technically, I am posting today, I don’t have new content. If you are disappointed, please let me know. It will help
My old friend and former roommate, Tony Hermann, is doing research on self-esteem. Recently, I asked him: Why are people with low self-esteem doormats? His answer is consistent with recent research in psychology that positives and negatives should be treated as distinct constructs and not as opposites along a single
With Joel Warner. Adapted from our Wired.com post. The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy has a problem: Seven out of 10 pregnancies among unmarried 18-to-29-year-olds in this country are unplanned. The organization also has an unusual potential solution: comedy. Unlike the organization’s work with teens, the goal
Welcome back to another episode of “Aging Single,” where Peter McGraw explores the intricacies of aging, retiring, and dying solo. This time, in episode
Welcome to the final episode of I’M NOT JOKING. Comedian JD Lopez returns from Episode 1 to debrief and reflect on Peter’s experience building
