ABSTRACT
First published in 1987. What distinguishes people from other animals is said to be people's ability to laugh. Much of the literature treats humor as a normal but pathological phenomenon. This volume first describes a theory which not only views humor as nonpathological, but as contributing to the evolution of social interest. It then describes the structure of the joke and proceeds to elaborate the forms and goals humor takes in psychotherapy.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
part |35 pages
Humor
chapter |9 pages
What Makes Things Funny?
chapter |14 pages
Theories of Humor
chapter |9 pages
The Structure of the Joke
part |43 pages
Humor in Psychotherapy
chapter |11 pages
Role of Humor in Psychotherapy
chapter |9 pages
Role of Humor in Interpretation
chapter |8 pages
Turning the Client Around with Humor
chapter |4 pages
Humor as a Criterion for Termination
chapter |7 pages
Humor and the Therapist's Skill
part |49 pages
Jokes Used in Psychotherapy