This article was originally published on Feb. 19, 2021.
What makes you laugh the hardest? We’re talking side-splitting, spittle-spraying, I-can’t-breathe laughter here. For some people, hearing a friend wryly recount how they almost face-planted on the sidewalk might do it. Others might take a more antagonistic approach, preferring jokes that involve insulting someone else. Then there are just some things that almost anyone would find funny, like the recent viral mishap where a lawyer unwittingly appeared as a kitten during a virtual court proceeding.
You’ve likely heard the old adage that comedy is subjective: Different people find different things humorous. In recent decades, psychologists and other researchers have investigated various aspects of humor styles. A bulk of this research is focused on what our humor preferences might say about us as individuals — and particularly what they suggest about our mental health.
