The Science Behind Dad Jokes
Dad jokes are a unique form of humor that often elicits mixed reactions. Some find them endearing, while others roll their eyes at the corny puns and over-the-top wordplay. But what exactly makes a joke qualify as a "dad joke"? According to recent research, these types of jokes are typically short, clean, affable, and non-offensive. They rely heavily on puns, wordplay, and sometimes taking phrases literally.
A team of psychologists conducted an extensive study analyzing 32,533 examples of dad jokes from the internet. Instead of manually going through each one, they used artificial intelligence to help analyze the patterns and structures that make these jokes work or fail.
The study found that certain topics tend to be more successful in making a dad joke land well. These include subjects like nature, hospitals, and money. On the other hand, jokes involving celebrities, politics, or religion were more likely to fall flat.
In one experiment, around 600 people were asked to rate the funniness of various jokes. The top three jokes were:
- I accidentally passed my wife a glue stick instead of her ChapStick. She's still not talking to me.
- What country's capital is growing the fastest? Ireland. Every day it's Dublin.
- I told a joke on a Zoom meeting but nobody laughed. It turns out I'm not remotely funny.
Dr. Paul Silvia, who led the study, described the process as similar to "cops searching for the criminals who stole the wheels from their patrol car." He emphasized the effort put into identifying the comedic features of dad jokes and the kinds of people who enjoy them.
Punderful Examples
Some of the most beloved dad jokes are filled with clever wordplay. Here are a few examples:
- My dad asked me if I was an organ donor. He's a man after my own heart.
- The book I ordered about clocks finally came in. It's about time.
- Why do Norwegian battleships have barcodes painted on them? So they can Scandinavian.
- I was annoyed when my wife gave me a coffin for my birthday. I said, "This is the last thing I need."
According to Dr. Silvia, dad jokes are usually compact, short, and affable. They often involve a corny, adorable pun. These jokes are designed to be inclusive, appropriate, and non-offensive. They avoid religious or political references and rarely touch on topics like death or violence.
Who Likes Dad Jokes?
The study also explored who is more likely to find dad jokes funny. The findings suggest that men, pet owners, parents, higher-educated individuals, those with more money, religious people, and conservatives tend to appreciate these jokes more.
Dr. Silvia and his colleague Meriel Burnett from the University of Massachusetts categorized the puns into different types. Some of the most annoying ones are called "pedantic literalisms," which use a precise interpretation of words. For example: "Did you know deer can jump higher than the average house? It's because the average house can't jump."
Other types of puns include:
- Homonym puns: Play on words with the same pronunciation and spelling but different meanings. Example: "I've started a new job taking care of horses. It provides a stable income."
- Homograph puns: Work only when written down, playing on words with the same spelling but different sounds. Example: "What makes music heavy metal? A lead singer."
- Homophone puns: Play on words with the same sound but different spelling. Example: "So long, boiling water. You will be mist."
- Heterophonic paronym puns: Rely on words with similar but not identical pronunciation. Example: "When my wife feels sad I let her colour in my tattoos. She just needs a shoulder to crayon."
The Truth About Puns
One of the biggest misconceptions about humor is that people find puns aversive. However, the researchers argue that this view was popularized by "stuffy British men." Their study showed that puns can be effective and even enjoyable when used correctly.
The researchers have made their extensive database of dad jokes available to fellow academics who are interested in studying humor or perhaps trying to "hassle their teenagers" with some classic dad jokes.
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