The Palgrave Handbook of Humour Research

This Handbook provides new perspectives on humor from transdisciplinary perspectives, focusing on humor as a resource from different socio-cultural and psychological viewpoints. It brings together authors from different cultures, social contexts, and countries, enabling researchers and practitioners to unlock new research findings and discuss humor in regard to different cultural and political contexts, over the lifespan, in therapy and counseling, pedagogical settings, medicine, and the workspace. The contributions also highlight the connections between humor and the COVID-19 pandemic and promise new inspiring insights.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 517 pages
Publication date: 17 September 2022
Publisher: Springer Nature Switzerland AG

This Handbook offers fresh insights into humor from diverse transdisciplinary perspectives. It delves into humor as a valuable resource from various socio-cultural and psychological angles, bringing together authors from diverse cultures, social contexts, and countries. By employing transdisciplinary and transcultural lenses, the volume explores humor in relation to different cultural and political contexts, humor across the lifespan, in therapy and counseling, pedagogical settings, medicine, and the workplace. The contributions also shed light on the connections between humor and the COVID-19 pandemic, offering promising new inspiring insights. Researchers, practitioners, and students in the fields of industrial and organizational psychology, positive psychology, organizational studies, future studies, health and occupational science, therapy, emotion sciences, management, leadership, and human resource management will find the contributions highly relevant, insightful, and applicable to practice.

Introduction:
Humor has long been recognized as a powerful tool for communication, social connection, and emotional well-being. However, its study and understanding have been limited by disciplinary boundaries and cultural differences. This Handbook aims to bridge those gaps by bringing together experts from various fields to explore humor from multiple perspectives.

Perspectives on Humor:
The Handbook encompasses a wide range of perspectives on humor, including cognitive, physiological, cultural, and social aspects. It examines humor as a resource that can be used to enhance communication, promote positive emotions, cope with stress, and foster resilience. The contributions also highlight the therapeutic applications of humor, such as humor therapy and the use of humor in counseling and psychotherapy.

Transdisciplinary and Transcultural Approaches:
One of the key strengths of this Handbook is its commitment to transdisciplinary and transcultural approaches. By integrating knowledge from different disciplines, the volume provides a comprehensive understanding of humor and its implications for various contexts. The authors draw from diverse cultural backgrounds, allowing for a rich and nuanced exploration of humor's role in different societies and cultures.

Cultural and Political Contexts:
The Handbook explores humor's role in cultural and political contexts, recognizing its potential to challenge power structures, promote social change, and foster inclusivity. It examines humor's use in satire, comedy, and other forms of artistic expression to comment on social issues and challenge dominant narratives. The contributions also highlight the ethical considerations surrounding humor and its potential to cause harm or offense.

Humor across the Lifespan:
Humor is not just a phenomenon limited to childhood or adulthood; it can occur at any stage of life. The Handbook examines humor's development across the lifespan, including its influence on interpersonal relationships, cognitive function, and mental health. It explores how humor can be used to enhance aging, promote resilience in the face of adversity, and foster positive aging.

Therapy and Counseling:
Humor has been shown to have therapeutic benefits in various settings, including therapy and counseling. The Handbook discusses the use of humor in therapy and counseling, including its effectiveness in reducing stress, improving communication, and promoting emotional well-being. It also explores the challenges and limitations of using humor in therapy and the importance of cultural sensitivity and competence.

Pedagogical Settings:
Humor can be an effective tool in pedagogical settings, such as schools and universities. The Handbook explores the use of humor in teaching and learning, including its potential to enhance student engagement, promote critical thinking, and foster creativity. It also discusses the challenges and limitations of using humor in educational settings and the importance of pedagogical expertise.

Medicine and the Workplace:
Humor has been recognized as a valuable asset in medicine and the workplace, where it can improve patient outcomes, reduce stress, and enhance team collaboration. The Handbook discusses the use of humor in medical settings, including its effectiveness in reducing pain, improving patient communication, and promoting patient satisfaction. It also explores the challenges and limitations of using humor in healthcare settings and the importance of professional training and development.

Conclusion:
In conclusion, this Handbook offers a comprehensive and interdisciplinary exploration of humor, providing new insights into its nature, applications, and implications for various fields. By employing transdisciplinary and transcultural perspectives, the volume fosters a deeper understanding of humor and its potential to enhance human well-being and social connections. The contributions highlight the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration and the need to address humor from diverse perspectives to promote positive change and well-being.

Weight: 831g
Dimension: 235 x 155 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9783030782825
Edition number: 1st ed. 2021