Humor as a double-edged sword: Four functions of humor in communication
Humor as a double-edged sword: Four functions of humor in communication
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DOI：
10.1111/j.1468-2885.2000.tb00194.x
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发表时间：
2000-08-01
影响因子：
3.7
通讯作者：
Meyer, JC
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Meyer, JC
幽默令人信服的力量使它成为许多领域研究的一个反复出现的主题，包括交流。幽默研究中出现了三种关于幽默创作的理论：一是关注紧张的生理释放的放松理论；不协调理论，挑出违反理性学习模式的行为；以及优越感理论，包括一种胜利或胜利的感觉。每种理论都有助于解释幽默的不同方面，但每种理论在解释幽默的修辞应用时都遇到了问题。由于每种幽默起源理论都试图解释幽默的所有实例，因此幽默的不同交流效果仍然无法解释。幽默的产生导致了幽默在交际中的四种基本功能。两种功能将交际者联系在一起：识别功能和澄清功能。另外两种倾向于将一组沟通者与其他沟通者区分开来：执行和区分功能。对幽默的这些基于效果的功能的探索将有助于理解幽默在信息方面的崛起。幽默的使用通过相互认同和澄清立场和价值观来团结沟通者，同时通过执行规范和区分可接受与不可接受的行为或人来区分他们。幽默在交际中的这种矛盾的功能，交替地作为一个统一者和分裂者，允许幽默的使用来划定社会界限。
The compelling power of humor makes it a recurrent topic for research in many fields, including communication. Three theories of humor creation emerge in humor research: the relief theory, which focuses on physiological release of tension; the incongruity theory, singling out violations of a rationally learned pattern; and the superiority theory, involving a sense of victory or triumph. Each theory helps to explain the creation of different aspects of humor, but each runs into problems explaining rhetorical applications of humor. Because each theory of humor origin tries to explain all instances of humor, the diverging communication effects of humor remain unexplained. Humor's enactment leads to 4 basic functions of humor in communication. Two tend to unite communicators: the identification and the clarification functions. The other 2 tend to divide 1 set of communicators from others: the enforcement and differentiation functions. Exploration of these effects-based functions of humor will clarify understanding of its rise in messages. Humor use unites communicators through mutual identification and clarification of positions and values, while dividing them through enforcement of norms and differentiation of acceptable versus unacceptable behaviors or people. This paradox in the functions of humor in communication as, alternately, a unifier and divider, allows humor use to delineate social boundaries.