The ontology of humor: Psychological and linguistic foundations

Completed Research Project

Title / Titel: The ontology of humor: Psychological and linguistic foundations

Summary / Zusammenfassung: Despite its pervasive nature and significant role in human interaction, humor is a phenomenon largely neglected by research. The crucial interdisciplinary connection of theoretical humor research towards applicability has so far not been achieved, not least because funding for such a complex task was so far unavailable. The current project aims to make a major step in this direction by developing existing humor theories-prominently from the core fields psychology and linguistics-towards a concrete application in a pilot study that will form the basis of future international cooperation. The hosting scientist is the leading worldwide authority on the psychology of humor, while the researcher to be funded has devoted his career to the linguistics of humor. Based on the knowledge and training of these two researchers, the proposed project will aim to integrate the linguistic research on the humorous stimulus with the psychological research on the humorous predisposition and character trait. This includes the effects of humor on the individual-focus of the important but almost abandoned European tradition in humor studies-to facilitate subsequent broader interdisciplinary study of humor. The practical application of this work will start from a psycholexical pilot project that will include international satellite studies leading to important cross-cultural, ontogenetic, and implementational results.

Keywords / Suchbegriffe: humor, laughter, onthological semantics, linguistics, lexical fields

Project Leadership and Contacts / Projektleitung und Kontakte

Prof. Willibald Ruch, PhD (Project Leader)	w.ruch@psychologie.uzh.ch
Christian Hempelmann, PhD (Project Leader)	hempelma@mac.com

In Collaboration with / In Zusammenarbeit mit

Christian F. Hempelmann, hakia Inc.

United States