Psychological Distance

Studies examining humor in psychiatric disorders have elucidated the affective and cognitive components that are essential in understanding and appreciating humor. Both cognitive executive functioning (e.g., verbal fluency, set shifting) and the ability to mentalize dramatically impact the ability to understand and appreciate humor. Emotional components, such as mood states and traits, which affect the susceptibility to humor, and negative processing bias, which impacts humor appreciation, are also of great importance. This brief overview demonstrates the complexity involved in the humor processes that enable positive humor experiences and responses, and how humor can be affected in several disorders because of cognitive or affective subcomponents that are disrupted.