Humor can change how we perceive a difficult situation—and, in doing so, how we feel about it. But what makes humor an emotion regulation strategy? Which cognitive, emotional, social, and neural mechanisms underlie its effects? And why might humor be helpful in some situations, but less effective—or even inappropriate—in others?
Drawing on research in affective science and humor psychology, this inaugural lecture explores how humor is processed and how it may influence the experience and regulation of emotions. It considers humor not only as a response to incongruity, but also as a way of shifting perspective, relating to others, and engaging with difficult experiences.
By bringing together theoretical approaches, experimental research, and examples from everyday life, the lecture examines the potential and the limits of humor as a regulatory resource. In doing so, it raises a broader question: When life becomes difficult, what difference can it make to find a different—and perhaps humorous—way of looking at it?
