Title: The Science of Sarcasm? Yeah, Right  | Science   | Smithsonian Magazine
Headings: The Science of Sarcasm? Yeah, Right
The Science of Sarcasm? Yeah, Right
How do humans separate sarcasm from sincerity? Research on the subject is leading to insights about how the mind works. Really
By Richard Chin
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Content: According to Haiman, dog-eat-dog sarcastic commentary is just part of our quest to be cool. “ You’re distancing yourself, you’re making yourself superior,” Haiman says. “ If you’re sincere all the time, you seem naive.” Sarcasm is also a handy tool. Most of us go through life expecting things to turn out well, says Penny Pexman, a University of Calgary psychologist who has been studying sarcasm for more than 20 years. Otherwise, no one would plan an outdoor wedding. When things go sour, Pexman says, a sarcastic comment is a way to simultaneously express our expectation as well as our disappointment. When a downpour spoils a picnic and you quip, “We picked a fine day for this,” you’re saying both that you had hoped it would be sunny and you’re upset about the rain. We’re more likely to use sarcasm with our friends than our enemies, Pexman says. “ There does seem to be truth to the old adage that you tend to tease the ones you love,” she says.