E. B. WHITE

Researchers have theorized that a sense of humor is made up of six basic variables:

1. the cognitive ability to create or understand jokes
2. an appreciation, and enjoyment of jokes
3. behavior patterns of joking and laughing
4. cheerful or humorous temper...

Humor can be positive, when it’s not intended to belittle or harm others, or when one laughs at one’s own circumstances. It can also be negative, when it attacks others or when one belittles oneself. 

Positive humor is associated with self-esteem, o...

Only 10 to15 percent of laughing is due to anything even remotely humorous. Much of the rest is meant to display emotions such as agreement or simple conviviality.

Laughter itself is what brings a lot of humor’s benefits, not necessarily making other people laugh. L...

Researchers studying humor in the face of tragedy have found that jokes can indeed help people cope with grievances and loss. However, the joke can’t be too close to or too far from the event in time. 

Tell a joke during a horrific natural disaster and you will be shunn...