What is it about puns that tickles our funny bone? Or dad jokes? How about a person slipping on a banana peel? What could possibly tie all these very different things together under the heading “humor”? Just in time for April Fool’s Day, we explore that question with Peter McGraw, PhD, a marketing and psychology professor at the University of Colorado Boulder and director of the Humor Research Lab, also known as HuRL. McGraw discusses his “benign violation” theory of humor, when it’s too soon to joke about tragedy, how and why humor varies by culture, and how we can apply lessons from comedy to become more innovative and creative thinkers in all areas of our life and work.
Links
Peter McGraw, PhD
Humor Research Lab
Benign Violation Theory
TEDxBoulder Video with Peter McGraw, PhD
Why America's bitter politics are like a bad marriage, with Eli Finkel, PhD
Exploring psychology’s colorful past, with Dr. Cathy Faye, PhD
The Holiday Blues, with Elaine Rodino, PhD
Does Diversity Training Work? With Calvin Lai, PhD
Why Gen Z is Feeling So Stressed, with Emma Adam, PhD
How to recognize and combat ‘fake news,’ with Dolores Albarracin, PhD
Will People Accept a COVID-19 Vaccine? With Gretchen Chapman, PhD
What Drives Voter Behavior? With Jon Krosnick, PhD
How to Choose Effective, Science-based Mental Health Apps, with Stephen Schueller, PhD
The Challenges Faced by Women in Leadership with Alice Eagly, PhD
How to Have Meaningful Dialogues Despite Political Differences with Tania Israel, PhD
Survival of the Friendliest with Brian Hare, PhD
Reopening Schools in a Pandemic with Heidi Schweingruber, PhD
Psychedelic Therapy with Roland Griffiths, PhD
The Invisibility of White Privilege with Brian Lowery, PhD
The Challenge of Telework During COVID-19 with Kristen Shockley, PhD
The Psychology of Protest and Activism with Lauren Duncan, PhD
How the Social and Behavioral Sciences Explain Our Reactions to COVID-19 with Jay Van Bavel, PhD
Parenting Through the Pandemic with Erlanger Turner, PhD
Bonus Episode: How to Obtain Teletherapy During the Pandemic with Jared Skillings, PhD
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