Taking humour and laughter seriously: The multi-disciplinary field of humour studies

Abstract

From the time of Aristotle and Plato, philosophers have speculated about humour and laughter, proposing that ridere est humanum. But research has shown that chimpanzees and rats also laugh. Sociologist Norbert Elias believed that laughter evolved as an antidote to aggression; but humour can also be damaging. While studies in neuroscience, psychology, linguistics, literature, performance, history, sociology, religion, health and the emotions all now contribute to our understanding of the functions and consequences of humour, the question of whether humour unites or divides the human race is still open to debate. While humour can assist social cohesion in many ways, depending on cultural context (as some examples of peculiarly Australian uses of humour illustrate), and while its creators and practitioners command attention in daily life, it remains resistant to easy definition