Ha!: The Science of When We Laugh and Why

by Scott Weems

Overview

An entertaining tour of the science of humor and laughter

Humor, like pornography, is famously difficult to define. We know it when we see it, but is there any way to figure out what we really find funny? In this fascinating investigation into the science of humor and laughter, neuroscientist Scott Weems uncovers what's happening in our heads when we giggle, guffaw, or double over with laughter. Beginning with the premise that humor arises from inner conflict in the brain, Weems explores such issues as why surprise is so important for humor, why computers are terrible at recognizing what's funny, and why cringe-worthy stereotypes make us laugh the hardest. From the role of insult jokes to the benefit of laughing for our immune system responses, Ha! reveals why humor is so idiosyncratic, and why how-to books alone will never help us become funnier people. Packed with the latest research, amusing anecdotes (and even a few jokes), Ha! is a delightful tour of why humor is so important to our daily lives.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780465080809
Publisher:	Basic Books
Publication date:	03/04/2014
Sold by:	Hachette Digital, Inc.
Format:	eBook
Pages:	288
File size:	506 KB

About the Author

Scott Weems is a researcher at University of Maryland, with a PhD in cognitive neuroscience from UCLA. At the University of Maryland he has built a career studying the neuroscience of behavior, first at the Departments of Computer Science and Neurology, then working full time at the Center for Advanced Study of Language (CASL). Weems also has an MFA in creative writing from Lesley University.

Table of Contents

Introduction ix

Part I "What Is?" The Elusive Concept of Mirth

Chapter 1 Cocaine, Chocolate, and Mr. Bean 3

Chapter 2 The Kick of the Discovery 27

Chapter 3 Stopover at the Empire State Building 51

Part II "What For?" Humor and Who We Are

Chapter 4 Specialization Is for Insects 81

Chapter 5 Our Computer Overlords 105

Part III "So What?" Becoming a More Jovial Person

Chapter 6 The Bill Cosby Effect 133

Chapter 7 Humor Dances 151

Chapter 8 Oh, the Places You'll Go 175

Conclusion 193

Acknowledgments 199

Notes 201

Index 223

Editorial Reviews

12/09/2013
Cognitive neuroscientist Weems takes a crack at explaining humor, what it does to the brain, and what purpose(s) it may serve. He describes the effects of dopamine and how the anterior cingulate, the “part of the brain responsible for managing conflict,” overrides the “false expectation” required by many jokes. Weems renders extensive research accessible for a wide audience, citing one study that explored differing attributes of humor across nationality and gender, and another, dubbed “The Bill Cosby Effect,” that claims comedy’s analgesic effect in post-surgical recovery. Weems examines various categories of humor and what they say about human thought and behavior, including “gallows humor,” “lawyer jokes,” and meta-humor. He tackles the “Are women less funny than men?” controversy, notes a study that revealed the tangible negative impact of sexist jokes, outlines personality traits that supposedly contribute to a person’s funniness, ponders why computers can’t master humor, and investigates how comedic timing operates. In addition to a number of amusing jokes, Weems analyzes notable moments in comedy, including Lenny Bruce’s 1961 Carnegie Hall performance and Gilbert Gottfried’s notorious “Aristocrats” routine from the roast of Hugh Hefner. Humor is a difficult, subjective topic of study, and while Weems doesn’t present major conclusions, the information is interesting and the commentary insightful. 6 b&w illus. (Mar.)

Publishers Weekly

"Humor is worthy of serious academic study, [Weems] argues in his book, Ha! The Science of When We Laugh and Why, because it yields insights into how our brains process a complex world and how that, in turn, makes us who we are.... Dr. Weems makes a good case that humor makes us our best selves, and that we should all laugh more."—New York Times

"In Ha!, Scott Weems shows where funniness lies in the head."—Washington Post

"[A]n intriguing book."—Wall Street Journal

"[Weems] marshals an impressive range of studies and statistics to make his point. He shows that we process jokes in much the same way that we tackle problems, getting a rush of dopamine when we succeed. Laughter, meanwhile, brings all sorts of benefits.... [Ha!] makes a compelling case for seeing the comic side of life."—Financial Times

"Mirth, points out cognitive neuroscientist Scott Weems, is still something of a conundrum—but one well worth cracking. His journey through the jovial looks in turn at what it is, what it is for and why we should cultivate it."—Nature

"Neuroscientist Scott Weems applies the scientific method to the human funny bone to find out what makes us laugh. He discovers that laughter is one way the brain deals with the discomfort of a particularly inappropriate joke, or the surprise of an unexpected punchline."—Discover

"Scott Weems melds brain science with corny jokes and factoids to delight readers who've ever wondered why one thing tickles their funny bones, but not the other.... Don't expect this book to crack you up. You'll find other things to do that, and this will explain why. For anyone who's ever ROFL, Ha! just raises the bar."—
The Bookworm Sez

"[A] stimulating overview of what researchers have learned about why we laugh."—Kirkus Reviews

"Weems renders extensive research accessible for a wide audience.... Humor is a difficult, subjective topic of study, and while Weems doesn't present major conclusions, the information is interesting and the commentary insightful."—Publishers Weekly

"[A] fascinating new book.... Weems makes the argument that jokes have deep sources in our human needs and psychologies. Human life is complex, not simple, although we have simple needs (food, sex, safety, sleep, friendship, etc.). Humor is a response to inevitable conflict. The humor isn't in the joke; it is in the attitudes of those telling and hearing the joke. The same joke will be funny sometimes to some people and entirely fail to rouse a response to different people at different times."—Alva Noë, NPR's 13.7 blog

"Weems's central idea is that humor and laughter are by-products of the complex workings of the brain, rather than a separate function seated in some funniness control center. Drawing on both current neuroscience research and amusing anecdote, the author steers clear of reductionism and builds his case that humor is more diffuse and complex than other emotions and perceptions."—The Scientist

"In Ha!, cognitive neuroscientist Scott Weems analyzes how the punchline of a great joke, like a mini 'eureka!' moment, takes us by surprise and reframes our thinking. Humor, Weems argues, draws on our appetite for solving problems and helps us establish some order in a disordered world.... [I]lluminate[s] the inner workings of humor with a verve that befits the subject." —Psychology Today

"Weems, a neuroscientist, explores what goes on inside our cranium when something makes us laugh; he also explores the essence of humor itself (Why can we tell when something's funny, but a computer cannot?), why we laugh longer and harder at some things than we do at others, and how a healthy sense of humor can help us have a healthy body."—Booklist Online

"Move over, Henri Bergson, Weems explains the science of laughter way more charmingly. Our neurons are still cracking up."—
Thomas Cathcart and Daniel Klein, authors of Plato and a Platypus Walk Into a Bar

"Scott Weems' Ha! is an excellent, non-technical and engaging introduction to the field of humor studies and a much needed book.... Clear, entertaining, and full of personal anecdotes that enliven the discussion."—Salvatore Attardo, Dean of Humanities, Social Sciences and Arts, Texas A&M University, and editor-in-chief of Humor

"Scott Weems' book Ha! is a superb explanation of humor that is simultaneously entertaining and informative. I enjoyed every page, and at the end came away with new insight into what really makes things funny."—James A. Reggia, Professor of Computer Science, University of Maryland

"Weems explains what humor is, how things become funny, and why evolution gave us laughter.... It may seem a bit sad to see humor broken down into its cognitive elements like this; but it's also fascinating. We learn about why certain groups of people find certain types of humor funnier than others, and how important surprise is to humor. We also can appreciate the similarities between getting a joke and having a stroke of insight—the same cognitive processes go into effect when solving problems as when solving jokes, with the same pleasure evoked through dopamine."—Greater Good

"A delightful, brainy, historical and contemporary cultural excursus that 'reveals why humor is so idiosyncratic, and why how-to books alone will never help us become funnier people.'... More rewarding than a thousand giggles."—Ralph Nader,The Nader Page

From the Publisher

2014-01-19
Books analyzing humor are an extensive genre and invariably humorless. Despite a generous selection of jokes, few readers will laugh their way through this latest effort, but they will not be bored as neuroscientist Weems eschews philosophy in favor of hard science. Many animals laugh, but only humans joke. Appreciating a funny story is a complex cerebral activity that, according to high-tech scans, activates brain regions identical to those we use when solving problems. "Although traditional jokes are now rare thanks to humorists like [Lenny] Bruce," writes the author, "humor remains alive and well because it's a process, one that reflects the times and needs of its audience." Both humor and problem-solving require insight, creativity, psychological health and intelligence; in fact, writes Weems, "the smarter we are, the more likely we are to share a good joke." Surprise is essential in humor. We laugh at a story that abruptly reveals an incongruity, but this requires a mature brain with vast experience of the world and one that works obsessively to find patterns in the messy, ambiguous information that bombards it. Young children and those suffering from Alzheimer's disease and other neurological disorders often cannot tell a joke from a lie. That computers lack creativity and can't handle ambiguity turns out to be wrong; they are already churning out mildly funny jokes ("What kind of murderer has moral fiber? A cereal killer"). So far, their range is limited, and they have no ability to appreciate humor, but this may improve in time. Many readers will squirm at the obligatory account of the author's effort at stand-up comedy, and they may roll their eyes at his earnest, if scientifically impeccable, advice for using humor to fight disease, make friends and influence people, but most will enjoy this stimulating overview of what researchers have learned about why we laugh.

Kirkus Reviews