In 1944, Hans Asperger claimed that individuals with Asperger’s syndrome (now part of Autism Spectrum Disorder, ASD) do not understand jokes, cannot be cheerful in a relaxed way, and do not understand the world in a peaceful way, which may be viewed as the basis of genuine humor. Moreover, he argued, if they try to be funny, it comes off in an awkward, socially inappropriate, and occasionally aggressive way. However, he acknowledged that they are good in one humor domain: wordplays—ranging from verbal puns to clever and witty jokes. What does science have to say about these claims seventy years later? Recent research from a special issue on humor in ASD challenged Hans Asperger’s observations by examining humor as a multi-faceted phenomenon with multiple methods ranging from self-report questionnaires to experimental tasks. Humor is a multi-faceted phenomenon ranging from simple one-liners to complex situational pranks. Comprehending pre-fabricated jokes (or one of their simplest forms: verbal puns), cartoons or film clips that are supposed to evoke amusement and mirth might be less challenging than spontaneously coming up with situational and context-dependent funny remarks that are intrinsic to wit and a good sense of humor. Coping humor can be seen as equally challenging, as it is used to cheer up one’s own mood or the moods of others even in the face of negative life circumstances. The ability to remain cheerful and see life as positive even in the face of adversity is highly adaptive and might be one of the most complex forms of humor. So which of these components are difficult for individuals with ASD and why? Several studies consistently conclude that individuals with ASD are able to enjoy simple forms of humor such as word plays or simple verbal and visual jokes and film clips. Thus, the ability to resolve incongruities, which is viewed as the core cognitive process required to appreciate all forms of humor, is intact in individuals with ASD. However, individuals with ASD have difficulties with understanding more complex forms of jokes, especially if they have to attribute (false) mental states to one of the protagonists portrayed in a cartoon (for example), or difficulties with humor which is embedded in social contexts and for which understanding it is necessary to read subtle (nonverbal) cues in others. Individuals with ASD also have a less affiliative style of humor. They are less playful and less cheerful compared to control participants, which is important for a good sense of humor including coping humor. In addition, they seem to be more serious which prevents them from engaging in activities involving humor. Interestingly, researchers found an incongruence between the funniness ratings and the emotional expressions in individuals with ASD: While “typically developing” children laugh when viewing funny film clips, there is no response coherence in children with ASD. Therefore laugher may not reliably express their state of amusement which may lead to the impression that individuals with ASD have an awkward sense of humor as pointed out by Hans Asperger. This finding may be linked to the social-communication deficits that are known to be present in individuals with ASD. However, Hans Asperger was not correct on the following point: He claimed that the humor of individuals with ASD is more aggressive. This observation cannot be confirmed thus far, as many studies found no evidence that individuals with ASD have a more hostile sense of humor. Despite difficulties that can be observed in more complex forms of humor, humor production and creativity can also be found in individuals with ASD. I want to end this overview not by quoting a scientific finding but with a link to the inspiring humor by Brent Anderson: He is currently on a book tour to promote “Unintentional Humor”. Together with a cartoonist, Brent Anderson generates funny cartoons of how (literally) he understands the world of typically developing individuals – which turns out to be very entertaining and humorous. I like this Follow
Posted on: Sat, 15 Nov 2014 17:40:54 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015