Which humor category involves humor at the expense of another, such as slapstick?

Which humor category involves humor at the expense of another, such as slapstick?

• A. Superiority
• B. Incongruity
• C. Release
• D. Self-deprecating

Answer: (A)

Humor that targets another person by making them look foolish fits with superiority theory. This idea says laughter comes from feeling superior to someone else, especially when their mistakes or mishaps are exposed. Slapstick often puts a character in embarrassing, ridiculous situations, inviting the audience to laugh at that person’s misfortune and feel a sense of superiority. The other theories describe different mechanisms: incongruity focuses on unexpected mismatches, relief theory on releasing tension, and self-deprecating humor targets oneself. So, the humor category described is the superiority category.

Humor that targets another person by making them look foolish fits with superiority theory. This idea says laughter comes from feeling superior to someone else, especially when their mistakes or mishaps are exposed. Slapstick often puts a character in embarrassing, ridiculous situations, inviting the audience to laugh at that person’s misfortune and feel a sense of superiority. The other theories describe different mechanisms: incongruity focuses on unexpected mismatches, relief theory on releasing tension, and self-deprecating humor targets oneself. So, the humor category described is the superiority category.