[KenP]

After thinking about it for about 10 seconds, your view of humor and how it relates psychologically to one's reaction to humor must include the differing theories on humor and it's affect on the psyche.

Here's a few theories on humor I put togther quickly. I'm sure you don't need an explaination of each, but I'm sure others will.

1. Cognitive Theories

2. Conative Theories

3. Affective Theories

4. Instinct Theories
a. as unlearned behavior
b. as unalterable behavior
c. as hereditary behavior
d. as behavior not involving reason
e. as behavior attempting to remove tension
f. as unconscious behavior

5. Humor as Based on Emotion

6. Humor as Based on Physiology

7. Arousal Theories of Humor

8. Configuration or Gestalt Theory

9. Humor as Based on the Irrational

10. Circular Theories of Humor

11. Stimulus-Response or Learning Theories of Humor

12. Theories For or Against Humor
a. Anti-Humor
b. Pro Humor

13. Aristotle's Theories of Humor

14. Freudian Theory of Humor

15. Linguistic Theories of Humor

a. Review of Salvatore Attardo, Linguistic Theories of Humor
1. Deviation from Proper Language Humor
2. Meaningless Meaning
3. Humor Produced by Mistakes Regarding Ethical Terms
4. Metaphor-to-Myth Fallacy Humor
5. Circular Insight Humor
6. Fallacious Definitions of Humor
7. A War: Phonology vs. Phonetics?
8. Adequacy or Holism vs. "Trivial Details"

b. Review of Neal Norrick, Conversational Joking
1. The Conversation Model: Levels and Stereotypy
2. Theories of Emotion and Humor
3. Conversational Phonetics
4. Summary

16. Theories of Humor Exemplified by Type