Evolutionary Approaches to Humor: Critical Review and New Advances

This chapter summarizes the theories and research on the evolutionary bases of humor. We aim to explain the potential adaptive value of humor, what functions humor serves, and how a sense of humor can help increase fitness. We will focus our explanations on the two central mechanisms, natural selection and sexual selection, that are deeply rooted in our evolutionary history. Using these mechanisms, we will explore how production and appreciation of humor can contribute to survival and enhance mating success.
Several evolutionary explanations have been offered over the years, starting with Charles Darwin’s view of humor as “tickling of the mind”. The theories vary in scope, with some focusing on a specific aspect of humor or laughter, while others are more comprehensive. Each theory illuminates important tenets of humor, but not all. We will critically review and evaluate the various evolutionary theories, highlighting the strengths and weakness of each, and suggest directions for future research – including exploring humor’s links to other uniquely human capacities like intelligence, creativity, and artistry. Humor is a multifaceted phenomenon, and understanding it requires insights from disparate academic fields. Only a multidisciplinary approach could provide a complete understanding of such a unique human experience.