Exploring the Cognitive Dimensions of Laughter: The Interplay Between Humor and Metacognition.

Abstract

Humor and metacognition are complex, interrelated components of human cognition. Humor involves cognitive flexibility and social expression, while metacognition refers to awareness and regulation of one's thought processes. Understanding their interaction offers a novel perspective on mental functioning. This study assessed how specific psychological categories of humor are expressed and perceived, namely the comic styles (fun, benevolent humor, nonsense, wit, irony, satire, sarcasm, and cynicism) relate to five metacognitive domains: positive and negative beliefs about worry, cognitive confidence, need for control, and cognitive self-consciousness. A sample of 502 adults (191 males, 38%, and 311 females, 62%; M = 41.65, SD = 13.2; range: 18-74) completed the Comic Style Markers and the Metacognitions Questionnaire-30. Satire emerged as the strongest predictor of positive beliefs about worry and was also linked to stronger beliefs about the need to control thoughts. Irony was positively, and fun negatively, associated with negative beliefs about worry. Wit was related to lower cognitive confidence and greater cognitive self-consciousness. Benevolent humor showed a protective effect against beliefs about the need to control thoughts. These results suggest that the way humor is expressed and interpreted could be meaningfully related to metacognitive functioning.