Cognitive challenge as a factor in children's humor appreciation.

Abstract

THE HYPOTHESIS WAS ADVANCED THAT AN IMPORTANT INGREDIENT IN THE HUMOR RESPONSE IS THE DEGREE TO WHICH THE HUMOR STIMULUS MAKES A COGNITIVE DEMAND ON THE INDIVIDUAL. THE SPECIFIC PREDICTION TESTED WAS THAT CARTOONS AT THE UPPER LIMIT OF THE CHILD'S ABILITY TO COMPREHEND WOULD EVOKE THE GREATEST AMOUNT OF LAUGHTER AS WELL AS THE GREATEST PREFERENCE. GROUPS OF CARTOONS VARYING IN DIFFICULTY LEVEL FROM EASY TO NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE WERE ADMINISTERED TO 20 CHILDREN (10 BOYS AND 10 GIRLS) OF AVERAGE INTELLECT IN EACH OF THE 3RD, 5TH, AND 7TH GRADES. AS PREDICTED, AT ALL 3 GRADES MIRTH AND PREFERENCE SCORES PEKED AT THE MODERATELY DIFFICULT RANGE OF THE DIFFICULTY DIMENSION. THE FINDINGS ARE DISCUSSED IN RELATION TO THE CHILD'S MOTIVE OF COGNITIVE MASTERY, AS WELL AS TO A MOTIVATION-FREE INFORMATION-PROCESSING APPROACH. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved)