ABSTRACT
Theories based on experimental evidence have largely followed the conflicting models of the motivations of man. Essentially, three research models are used to explain the motivational sources of humor such as cognitive-perceptual theory, behavior theory and psychoanalytic theory. To the theorist who favors the cognitive-perceptual model, “getting the joke” is the real source of pleasure in humor. In a restricted sense, the drive reduction theory is a simplification of the psychoanalytic theory, for it leaves out the mediating processes between stimulus and response which, according to psychoanalysis, are fundamental to humor. Essentially, two research designs have been used to investigate the relationships between the humor preferences and specific drive states, such as aggression and sex, which may reflect enduring personality dispositions or a momentary state of arousal. The chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.
