Hint and humor understanding

Abstract

The article presents results of two experiments aimed to use different hints for humor issues. The Experiment 1 aims to compare two explanations of humor understanding within incongruity theory of humor. As a hint used special smiles emoji, those were disposed in key (or accidental) places of the jocks or illustrated one in two different representations of situation (or accidental aspects) of jocks. Results confirm the idea that incongruity at self isn’t enough to explain the humor understanding. The resolution of humors contradiction like in Suls model is more useful. The aim of the second experiment was using a hint for comparing of cognitive and not-cognitive aspects of jocks for humor understanding and laugh. As a hint was used the designation of emotional reaction expected as result of jocks exposure. There were jocks designated positive and negative emotions, compared with jocks without emotions designation. The results suggest that emotions designations especially of positive emotions raise the processing fluency. But the laugh more often appears when there were no any emotions designations. Results are interprets as the evidence of direct relation between jocks complexity and joy. In conclusion is discussed the potential of hints commonly used for problem solving issues for humor research.