Persuasive Humor

Chapter 13 introduces the topic of persuasive humor with a case study involving two advertisements that used similar humor but received very different responses. The content of the chapter begins by overviewing the importance of humor within pop culture and by defining humor. The text then explains three theories that relate to humor and persuasion: superiority theory, relief theory, and incongruity theory. Next, the chapter discusses the persuasive effects of humor, as well as the persuasive uses of humor; persuasive uses of humor include connecting with the audience and making an enthymematic connection. Finally, the chapter concludes with a discussion on the limitations of humor in persuasion, including examples of the limited nature of humor.