Sociological Approaches to the Study of Humor

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.