At its core, comedy is about disruption. Something goes wrong, and we watch characters scramble to restore order—often in hilariously ineffective ways. A person slips on a banana peel. A couple squabbles over a simple miscommunication. A coworker schemes up a ridiculous plan to outsmart their boss. Jokes are conflict dressed up in drama and charm; without tension or high stakes, they fall flat. Comedy thrives not just on punchlines, but on conflict—it gives us something to resolve or react to.
Humor as a Coping Mechanism
More than entertainment, comedy allows us to explore conflict and other uncomfortable truths from a safe distance: social taboos, strained relationships, personal failures, and even grief. By exaggerating or reframing conflict, comedians invite us to laugh at things we might otherwise avoid. Think of how “The Office” uses workplace awkwardness, or how stand-up comedians tap into personal trauma and convert it into punchlines that everyone can relate to.
This psychological distance makes comedy a coping mechanism. Laughter can diffuse anxiety, make the unbearable bearable, and turn our darkest moments into something we can share.
Of course, not all laughter is healing, and sometimes humor distracts us from what we really need to feel. When laughter becomes avoidance, it can delay grief, suppress vulnerability, or disconnect us from the emotional truth of a situation.
A great example of how humor helps us manage discomfort is the classic misunderstanding trope—a form of conflict based on incomplete or incorrect information. Classic sitcoms like “Seinfeld” and “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” thrive on this, with characters operating under different assumptions that spark chaos and confusion. We laugh because we see the puzzle pieces before the characters do.
What Makes Things Funny?
So why do we find these situations funny? Psychologists have studied this extensively. Here is a sample of building blocks found in comedy (Warren, Barsky, & McGraw, 2021):
- Violation appraisal: We laugh when what actually happens clashes with how things should be. This provides an outlet for taboo or stressful topics like death, sex, or politics.
- Superiority: We laugh because we’re relieved not to be the ones making the mistake. Imagine watching someone trip on a curb during a first date—we cringe but are glad it wasn’t us.
- Surprise: Something that catches us out of the blue, like when a person prepares for a big job interview but suddenly gets hiccups and can’t speak.
- Benign appraisal: Something is funny when it breaks a social rule but remains harmless—like a dog wearing sunglasses.
Beyond academic constructs, humor serves a vital role in our social and emotional lives. Humor isn’t just about fun—it plays a deeper role in connecting people. Evolutionary psychologists suggest that humor helps build relationships, ease tension, and break the ice, which eventually develops intimacy and trust. Neuroscientist Robert Provine found that we’re about 30 times more likely to laugh with others than alone. Laughter isn’t just pleasurable; it’s social glue that binds people together.
Comedy also stimulates the mind—our brains enjoy solving puzzles, and jokes often present mini riddles to crack. For many, humor is a survival tool and helps us digest anxiety, face rejection, and say what we might otherwise hide. As Carol Burnett once said, “Comedy is tragedy plus time.” Pain becomes material; conflict becomes insight.
The Deep Power of Comedy
Yet, comedy’s power is often underestimated. When we think of theatre’s emotional range as depicted by the iconic comedy and tragedy masks, comedy (Thalia) and tragedy (Melpomene) are weighted differently. Tragedy in its many forms—drama, poetry, literature—is typically granted gravitas and seen as a vehicle for profound reflection on the human condition. Comedy often gets shrugged off as just a way to unwind or escape, but it does so much more. Even Shakespeare, whose tragedies are revered, wove comedy into his scenes to break tension, offer commentary, and reveal uncomfortable truths through laughter. Like tragedy, it can challenge the status quo, call out hypocrisy, and spotlight the outlandish parts of everyday life, all while making us laugh.
When we remember that comedy, like tragedy, is rooted in conflict, we may begin to grant it the same depth and dignity—as a medium not just for laughter, but for revelation and transformation.
Laughter doesn’t just lift our spirits—it can actually change our body chemistry. Studies show it helps lower stress by reducing hormones like cortisol (Kramer & Leitao, 2023). It’s no wonder we associate laughter with relief.
But when we focus only on the feel-good effects, we miss comedy’s deeper impact. At its best, it’s not just an escape, but a way in. Humor can open the door to tough conversations, subdue hard truths, and help us see things we might otherwise resist. Sometimes, a joke can say what a straight answer can’t.
Comedy holds up a mirror to our egos, flaws, and social absurdities and reflects us at our most ridiculous. So the next time you laugh at a joke, ask yourself: What’s the conflict underneath? Chances are, you’re not just laughing at the joke, but at the truth you didn’t want to admit. Now cue the drumroll; bu-dum-tsh.