Effects of Humor Comprehension on Dynamic Cognitive Processes of Insight: An Event-Related Potential Study

Abstract

Some questionnaires and behavioral studies have examined the effect of humor on insight. However, the time course of the effects of humor on the stage of insight remains unclear. This study explored the effect of humor comprehension on insight with event-related potential (ERP) technology using verbal humorous jokes and two-part allegorical sayings. The results show that the average amplitude of the novel semantic association (creative solution) in N400 (350−450 ms) is significantly larger than that of the ordinary semantic association (ordinary solution) in the two priming groups (humor priming and non-humor priming). The amplitude in the LPC (600−900 ms) of novel semantic associations in the humor priming group was significantly smaller than that of the non-humor priming group. The results suggest that the effect of humor comprehension on insight is not reflected in the early breaking of the mindset process of insight but the formation of the novel association process.