"Joking in humans requires quite complex cognitive abilities"

February 28, 2024 2:16 AM

The teasing behaviour was similar to that adopted by young human children, according to the researchers, in that it was intentional, provocative, persistent and included elements of surprise, play and checking for the recipient’s response. The human equivalent might be sticking your tongue out at someone and then running away to gauge their reaction. This style of teasing could even form the foundation for more complicated forms of humour. from Why some animals have evolved a sense of humour [BBC]

Do Animals Have a Sense of Humor?
Do animals have a sense of humor? New evidence suggests that all mammals have a funny bone.
Tickling rats and giggling dolphins: do animals have a sense of humour?

posted by chavenet (11 comments total)

So everyone who doesn't laugh at my jokes is an idiot. I already knew that.
posted by Literaryhero at 3:11 AM on February 28 [4 favorites]

We know crows do this. They pull wolves' tails all the time, sometimes so their friend can get some food but also just as a joke.
posted by HypotheticalWoman at 3:50 AM on February 28 [8 favorites]

Horses definitely think they're funny. And we had a cat who clearly found it hilarious to spook dramatically at us when he was feeling playful.
posted by restless_nomad at 5:03 AM on February 28 [4 favorites]

One of my favorite lines from my dad:

"Remember that humor is an intellectual activity, so when you see someone kinda dumb laughing...well, that's kinda the top of the curve for them."
posted by Reasonably Everything Happens at 6:10 AM on February 28 [6 favorites]

Vaudeville Department: the laughing hyena Crocuta crocuta will be sharing dick jokes after the intermission but before intromission.

Related: TIL that Bob Fagen is working on a new book about Animal Play Behavior, 43 years after his iconic 1981 study.
posted by BobTheScientist at 6:41 AM on February 28 [2 favorites]

the evolution of humor came soon after mammals evolved the capacity to experience existential dread on a cosmic scale.

or it was after butts evolved. same gene codes for both
posted by logicpunk at 7:35 AM on February 28 [5 favorites]

Many years ago we had a horse who farted while kicking up his hind legs when we threw a frisbee at him.
posted by DJZouke at 10:53 AM on February 28 [1 favorite]

Oh yeah bucking and farting is a thing. Also our dog has a highly developed comedy performance involving the destruction of cardboard that she only does in front of an adequately appreciative audience.
posted by restless_nomad at 11:26 AM on February 28 [6 favorites]

I once saw a deer charge into a creek for no reason other than to scare a bunch of ducks, which it obviously thought was hilarious.
posted by daisystomper at 2:37 PM on February 28 [2 favorites]

....Meanwhile, the cat is clearly thinking "why the **** is this ******* dog destroying a perfectly good nap zone again????"
posted by praemunire at 4:08 PM on February 28 [1 favorite]

Wimsey does not suffer fools gladly, and the dog is a Grade A Fool.
posted by restless_nomad at 9:04 AM on February 29