A Scientific Approach


As an intended applied math major and human physiology enthusiast, I genuine enjoyed Paige's post. After reading many philosophers' stances on humor, it's cool to learn a little more about the scientific studies conducted on this subject. I especially found her comment on how therapists use cartoons on their patients as a means of therapy interesting. To show a fragile patient what their going through in something as silly as cartoon form sounds almost absurd. But, not only does this type of therapy work, it helps their patients understand why they can't get over whatever their going through. This ceases to amaze me! But, when I think about what psychologically must be going through the patients head, it makes sense. 

 Thus far, after maybe the most traumatic moment in their life, a patient has only been able to see a devastating situation haunting them one way. This cartoon therapy must physically allow their brain to see the traumatic moment in their life differently so they can then see it more clearly. Just like when witnesses go back to picture a crime scene and experience basis because the situation is too traumatic for them to recall correctly, many therapists' patients must face the same problem. But, a method which allows them to see the situation completely different would enable them conclude more about what's going on with them mentally. 

Comments

  1. Caroline BassOctober 19, 2018 at 10:48 AM

    Awesome post, Hannah! I think it is really important to look at humor not just through the humanities lens, but also through scientific studies. I didn't even think to connect this topic to crime scene witnesses, but that was an excellent way to explore the psychological effects on memory of a traumatic situation.

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  2. Shane HerronOctober 19, 2018 at 12:59 PM

    It's interesting to think of comedy as akin to a way of thinking about trauma in a different way. We might argue that trauma itself is never funny, and that's the point of tragedy--to highlight its seriousness. But comedy focuses on the silliness around the trauma--that life never stops being strange even as we are in the middle of a crisis.

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  3. UnknownOctober 26, 2018 at 11:26 AM

    This is such a great psychological analysis of something so hard to comprehend such as what is happening in something else's head. It is so useful to have a tool that works to help better understand a situation, or to find a way to better help the patient overcome the difficult situation.

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