Tag Archive for Practical Jokes

Put-Down Humour

by  • March 5, 2013 • 0 Comments

Even when we laugh at the expense of others and their misfortunes we create togetherness and solidarity. Putdown humour is any humour that derives amusement at the expense of others. It can be demeaning jokes, teasing, sarcasm or even self-deprecating remarks. While putdowns can be effective to build bonds and friendship there exists certain rules of engagement. For example, a putdown must be within a friendly framework and we must follow certain agreed upon rules. Taking putdown humour too far can be hurtful, and particularly harsh putdowns can be used to elevate ourselves at the target’s expense, or equally, we too we can become victim of putdowns. For example, in a study by Susan Martin in 1978 out of American University it was shown that police officers who use putdown humour against female officers tended to use it because they felt uncomfortable with the notion of having females in a male dominated workplace. However, humour among, say men at a weekly poker night can foster belonging. Overall, men will use putdown humour more often than women and also tend to expect it. Practical jokes work similarly, and sporting teams frequently use pranks to welcome new members.

The real key is to avoid hitting on truisms about a person that can be hurtful. Making fun of someone for being ugly when in fact it is well known that they are confident beauty pageant winner or making fun of a sprinter for being slow, is in good fun, and will be well received. However, poking fun at someone who is rigid or uptight, by including this trait in a joke, it is sure to offend them and while it might have a leveling effect between two people, it serves no unifying characteristics. In fact, the only result likely is to outline key differences between people and help others see this disagreement making everyone involved look bad. Harsh putdowns only serve to disassociate a person from others.

Dr. Terrion of the University of Ottawa who followed a group of police officers through training found that the development of putdowns followed a rough pattern of progression from putting down oneself, to putdowns of shared identities or groups, to putdowns of external groups and finally to putdowns of each other within a group. She also found that officers tended to putdown members of the group that had higher status, and members tended to poke the most fun at others whom they liked most and that using putdowns when members were absent was seen as backstabbing so was frowned upon. One of the cardinal rules of putdown humour, is to only poke fun at people who are present. The study also showed that members that are willing to laugh at themselves tended to be taken into the group more readily. Laughing at oneself shows others that we see ourselves as equals and shows that we can be trusted. Another general putdown rule follows that members that don’t take well to putdowns shouldn’t be targets because it tends to elicit an uncomfortable feeling within the rest of the group.

Putdown humour, when it is framed properly, indicates belongingness and also a desire by others to welcome someone in given that all the rules are properly followed. Conversely, a lack of inclusion into humour, even putdowns, can alienate us just as much as particularly negative humour. The next time someone pokes fun, roll with it and either laugh heartily or joke back, as humour can help break down boundaries and create inclusiveness.

Laughter Differences Between The Sexes

by  • March 5, 2013 • 0 Comments

Women laugh much more at the antics of men then do men at women. This suggests that men use laughter in courtship and that women use humour to measure a man’s general fitness and suitability as a partner. Certainly, personal classifieds advertisements suggest that this is so, as men list a good sense of humour frequently as quality they possess, whereas women advertise as seeking it. The trait is so pervasive in personal dating advertisements that it even has its own acronym GSOH (good send of humour). Even across culture and age, men are the laugh-getters whereas women as the laugh seekers.

It has also been suggested that humour is a signal of cognitive fitness and women use it to gauge the desirability of men or perhaps as a display of their ability to out-compete other men. Humour is a measure of dominance, a social tool, and women gravitate to the dominant men who possess it. Male stand up comedians show many dominant traits not the least of which is to hold the attention of large groups and have them laugh at his jokes, which itself is seen as a submissive act. For this reason, stand up comedians also show leadership. Comedians such as David Letterman host of the Late Show or comedians such as Joe Rogan or Dane Cook. These men make their living by telling jokes. Their body language and the way they control audiences with their humour are testament to their ability to take control.

Comedians are leaders even when we find them in our daily lives. They routinely stand up to hecklers, they influence our emotions and framework and at the same time make us laugh. When a strong joker comes about, we relinquish our control to them, but when two jokers meet, they’ll be found competing against each other to tell the best joke in an attempt to hog the floor.

Typically men will use humour to joke with and playfully insult other men. Women use humour to build social bonds and connect with each other. Women rarely pull off practical jokes. Men use humour to jockey amongst other men for position in the hierarchy and this jockeying is found most prominent when other women are present. Men unanimously prefer women who laugh at their jokes rather than those who make them laugh especially when choosing sexual partners. In a study that followed one hundred five students, it was found that women chose men who produce humour sixty-two percent of the time whereas men choose women who appreciate their humour sixty-five percent of the time. When female speakers present to a male audience they tended to laugh themselves seven percent more then their male audience, whereas male speakers laugh about seven percent less than their female audience. Neither sex laughs as much with female speakers as they do with male speakers.

No doubt, being a female comedian is one tough nut to crack which is why we see far more male professional comedians than female. Both sexes are in agreement, women want a humour generator and men want a humour appreciator. When it comes to friendship, men will seek out women that are funny, but when it comes to sexual relationships, men tend to fair on the side of women that only laugh at jokes rather than those who produce them. In fact, women that display strong tendencies to make other people laugh appear to be a strong turn-off to men. In a 1990 study by Grammer and Eibl-Eibesfeldt where men and women interacted in a natural conversation, the extent to which woman laughed while in conversation was related to her desire to date the man. These findings show that laughing by women is likely an evolutionary signal of sexual attraction. A note of caution though before men get all carried away and start memorizing knock-knock jokes before heading the pub, is that while men who were more humorous were rated more attractive they were also rated as less intelligent and trustworthy. These results weren’t duplicated though as in other studies as humour was linked to other positive personality traits, one of which includes intelligence. It’s likely though, that humour has a basis in dating and attraction, but that women still appreciate someone that can be serious if need be.