There are many approaches to the interpretation of humor, George and Mary (GaM) is a software product that relies on a new one. I will explain the justification behind GaM’s approach.
Humor is a uniquely human characteristic; I define humor as a sudden falsification of perceived threat. The falsification presumes a perception of lie or untruth, this perception is what distinguishes humans from animals; animals don’t lie, only humans do and, more importantly, they can recognize a lie. Conversely, when you don’t recognize a lie you don’t appreciate the humor.
Threat can produce either aggression (externalized) or fear (internalized). You can falsify a threat either by destroying its credibility or by saving the object you are protecting, including your own safety. Externalizing/internalizing humor suggests gender preference; males may prefer the former, females the latter.
Motivationally, GaM follows the classification of drives into four scales: the Emotion, Feeding, SocioSex and Parenting. Each scale has its externalizing/internalizing division; therefore GaM recognizes a total of eight types of humor. Here are examples for each type.
Externalizing the Emotion: Self-assuring falsifying threat to one’s own
safety at the outside source, slightly aggressive. Smile, it makes people
wonder what you're up to. Why did God create man before woman? He didn't want
any advice.
Internalizing the Emotion: Self-assuring, I'm OK despite the threat, not aggressive. I don't suffer from stress; I am a carrier. If you tell the truth you don't have to remember anything.
Externalizing Feeding: Most aggressive, falsifying threats from intruders over turf. I love defenseless animals especially in good gravy. A dwarf wanted to commit suicide so he jumped off the curb.
Internalizing Feeding: Self-assuring, my turf is safe, I won the trophy, I have enough to get me by. Better the devil you know. Second love is built on experience.
Externalizing SocioSex: The content of the social message is unimportant; the focus is on the sender whose threat is falsified. A stoned went to the airport to receive his father; he kissed the bag and carried his father. Where do Chinese vampires come from? Fanghai.
Internalizing SocioSex: The focus is on the content of the social message, it comes through despite the external threat. The telephone rang, the son answered; Is your dad there? Yes said the boy, Do you know who I am? Asked the man on the line, Daad someone on the phone who doesn't know who he is. When I saw my first strand of white I thought I’d dye.
Externalizing Parenting: Self and authority demoting, focus on the wider
environment. Be nice to your kids they'll choose your nursing home. I was born
so ugly the doctor slapped my mother. UFO's are real; it is the Air Force that
doesn't exist.
Internalizing Parenting: Self-demoting, focus is on offspring, who’s strong enough to survive. A child says to his teacher; Miss I love you and I want to marry you. She says: but I don't like children, he says: no problem Miss, we won't make any. A child's wisdom: Never try to baptize a cat.
About the author: Faisal L. Kadri is an independent researcher not affiliated with any educational institution. His research interest since 1986 is in applying the mathematical tools of nonlinear systems engineering to modeling motivational mechanisms in animals and humans. For more information please visit:
www.artificialpsychology.com
Copyright © 2006 Faisal L. Kadri, all rights reserved. Reproduction of this article in Internet media is permitted on condition that all links are maintained. Use in college essays welcome.