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Sociological Approaches to the Study of Humor

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Handbook of Humor Research

Abstract

Most humor and laughter imply a social relationship, a connection between self and other. Just as one cannot tickle oneself, so, too, one can hardly tell oneself a joke or play a prank on oneself. A jocular event typically requires a minimum of two persons to succeed—or, for that matter, to fail. Although I shall not argue whether an event is funny if there is no one present to observe it, any adequate understanding of the dynamics of humor must include a social analysis.

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Authors
  1. Gary Alan Fine
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Home and Family Life, Texas Tech University, 79409, Lubbock, Texas, USA

    Paul E. McGhee

  2. Division of Social Psychology, Temple University, 19122, Philadelphia, Pannsylvania, USA

    Jeffrey H. Goldstein

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Fine, G.A. (1983). Sociological Approaches to the Study of Humor. In: McGhee, P.E., Goldstein, J.H. (eds) Handbook of Humor Research. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-5572-7_8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-5572-7_8

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