Why Do We Laugh at Jokes That Don’t Make Sense?

Imagine your friend says, 'I ate a sandwich that was made of clouds!' You don’t get it, but you laugh anyway. That’s because when we hear something unexpected or strange, our brain thinks it's funny. It feels like a little surprise party inside your head. When a joke doesn’t make sense, your brain still gets excited and sends signals to your face, telling you to smile and laugh.

Take the quiz →

Examples

Your friend says, 'I drank a clock!' and you laugh even though clocks aren’t drinkable.
You hear, 'My cat has a job as a detective!' and find it hilarious despite no evidence.
A joke goes, 'I put my dog in the oven, now he’s a toaster!' You don’t get it, but you can’t stop laughing.

Ask a question

Discussion

Recent activity

Categories: Psychology · humor,cognitive processes,brain functions