Many posts on this list border on being slightly offensive to some people. And according to psychology professor Dr. Peter McGraw, it all has to do with the Benign Violation Theory.
As Dr. McGraw explained in an interview with the American Psychological Association, it’s why people judge something funny, even if it is “simultaneously wrong yet okay.”
“What happens is the violation gives us arousal, makes us concerned, and then what we call the benign appraisal, seeing how this is okay, flips it and turns it from bad to good, and we laugh to tell the world this thing that seems so threatening is actually harmless,” Dr. McGraw explained.
Several studies have established a link between humor and intelligence. Research has found that a good sense of humor may be associated with high emotional intelligence, which many may find desirable.
However, Dr. McGraw adds that creativity also plays a significant role in having the ability to make another person laugh.
“Intelligence correlates with creativity, and creativity is at the foundation of this process. Smart people are knowledgeable about the world, and so if you want to be able to make comedy, a lot of comedy is about what's happening in the world in that sense,” Dr. McGraw said.
However, Dr. McGraw clarified his definition of being “smart.” As he stated, it does not refer to getting high GREs or SAT scores. Rather, it’s about being “counter-normative.”
“So really it's not about the–Valedictorians, I actually don't think they are the funniest people,” he said. “It's the people who are smart but also can sit in this space where they're willing to break some rules. Valedictorians are very good at following rules.”
