The Psychology of Funny: How Culture Shapes Global Humor & Laughter

Why do Brits laugh with self-deprecation, Belgians with quirky defiance, the Dutch at others (mostly Belgians), Japanese with wordplay, and Germans not at all?

The last part is a joke based on a stereotype that isn’t true. Does that make it a bad joke? Depends. Stereotypes, satire, irony, parody, puns, self-enhancement, cynicism, comparisons, punching up, punching down, body movements, facial expressions, pacing, rhythm—all of this is important, no matter the culture you’re from, but how and why they’re used vary greatly.

Before we get into the psychology of all that, what triggered me to write this article?

In my piece “The Worst Thing About Non-Americans,” I explain how voice messages act as a cultural and linguistic equalizer but catapult me into a fury capable of beheading... or unfriending anyone.

M. E. Rothwell commented:

“I am actually all for voice messages. They definitely can drag, and a 5-minute voice note is a definite fuck you but as someone who spends so much time away from family and friends, it is really nice to hear their voices. Also, I have a weird sense of humour, which I think comes across much better when I can put inflections and emphasis on certain words. In written form, it can often seem like I’m just being rude!”

I can forgive Mikey for having the wrong opinion.

If I delivered that comment in a dry, offhanded matter without any change in inflection, a Brit would still understand the sarcasm.

However, American millennials would too. They’ve become more sarcastic and cynical since discovering they’ll never afford a home, and their public healthcare ends before it starts.

When you kill a Yank’s optimism, they’re one step closer to sounding like a Brit.

Mikey was right—not about liking voice messages, of course. He was right in saying that inflections and emphasis matter. Imagine emphasizing the word Yank with disgust. That would make it sound like I think Brits are better than Americans. I mean, they are, but that’s beside the point.

I’m joking! Of course, I’m joking. They stopped being better ever since they left the EU.

Do I need to say it again?

How do we know when someone is joking? What even is a joke? How much do jokes vary from culture to culture? How does culture change the way jokes affect us? Do we need to adjust our humor when traveling?

First, we need a definition.

Defining Humor and Jokes

First off, what is humor?

"1. The capacity to perceive or express the amusing aspects of a situation. There is little agreement about the essence of humor and the reasons one laughs or smiles at jokes or anecdotes. Among philosophers, both Plato (c. 427–c. 347 BCE) and Thomas Hobbes claimed that individuals laugh at people and situations that make them feel superior, whereas Immanuel Kant emphasized surprise and anticlimax: 'the sudden transformation of a strained expectation to nothing.' U.S. writer Max Eastman (1883–1969) saw humor as 'playful pain,' a way of taking serious things lightly and thereby triumphing over them. Sigmund Freud called attention to the many jokes (especially those having to do with sex and hostility) that enable individuals to give free expression to forbidden impulses and explained laughter in terms of a release of the energy normally employed in keeping them out of consciousness. 2. The semifluid substance that occupies the spaces in the eyeball." — Dictionary of Psychology.

Why do we need humor?

Humor improves immunity, facilitates creativity, saves face, relieves stress and tension, creates a more positive self-concept, improves relationships with others, lowers stress, and increases positive emotions and life satisfaction.

What is a joke?

"A story or remark that is intended to provoke laughter." — Dictionary of Psychology.

But let’s take it a bit further with Freud.

According to Freud, jokes are based on one (or more) of these six basic techniques:

• Condensation: This is the fusion of two words or concepts into one, generating a potentially funny misunderstanding. When someone says, “Stop smoking,” the other person answers: “I’m an expert in quitting smoking. I’ve done it eight times already.”
• Displacement: When you transfer the sense of something to something else. “Did you know that the Independents (a soccer team) want their goalkeeper to get married?” “Really? Why?” “Because it’s the only chance they’ll get to celebrate something.”
• Double meaning: This is when you use the same word with a different meaning. As in this case: “It’s better to give than to receive. Yours sincerely, a boxer.”
• Use of the same material: This is using the same words or expressions to generate a new meaning. An example is: “How are you?” the blind man asked the paralytic. “Can’t you see?” answered the paralytic.
• Plays on words: This is where one word alludes to another. Example: “My ex-wife still misses me. But her aim is steadily improving.”
• Self-contradictory: A statement is made that’s later denied. As in this case: “Not only didn’t he believe in ghosts, but he wasn’t even afraid of them.”^4

I usually don’t use Freud in my articles because his theories are iffy, but that’s the case with most theories about humor.

A few papers I read had more limitations than findings because most research is correlational and based on surveys. I’ll give some examples of experiments, but as the papers mention, more needs to be looked into.

The Brain Science of Humor

The part of humor research that isn’t iffy: The same part of the brain that looks for contrasts and resolutions (left inferior frontal and posterior temporal cortices of the left brain) is activated through laughter.

That’s it.

However, it does relate to one of the most talked about theories in humor research, the Benign Violation Theory (BVT). This theory was developed by Peter McGraw and Caleb Warren in 2010 and is based on the idea that humor arises from a combination of two factors: violation and benignity.

"The theory builds on work by a linguist, Tom Veatch, and integrates existing humor theories to propose that humor occurs when and only when three conditions are satisfied: (1) a situation is a violation, (2) the situation is benign, and (3) both perceptions occur simultaneously."^6

"According to the theory, a violation refers to anything that threatens one’s beliefs about how the world should be. That is, something seems threatening, unsettling, or wrong. From an evolutionary perspective, humorous violations likely originated as threats to physical well-being (e.g., the attacks that make up tickling, play fighting) but expanded to include threats to psychological well-being (e.g., insults, sarcasm), including behaviors that break social norms (e.g., strange behaviors, flatulence), cultural norms (e.g., unusual accents, most scenes from the movie Borat), linguistic norms (e.g., puns, malapropisms), logic norms (e.g., absurdities, non-sequiturs), and moral norms (e.g., disrespectful behavior, bestiality)." — Humor Research Lab

As you’ve probably experienced, psychological distance matters when finding that sweet spot between the benign and a violation. Kant and Norman explain that the theory discerns four facets of psychological distance:

• Temporal distance denotes whether an event occurred recently or in the distant past.
• Geographical distance signifies the physical proximity or distance of something.
• Hypotheticality indicates whether something is real and perceived or simply imagined.
• Social distance, as exemplified by Liberman et al. (2007), hinges on factors like whether an event affects oneself or others, involves someone familiar or unfamiliar, or pertains to someone within or outside of one's social group. Additionally, they underscored the importance of considering social power.

Ricky Gervais reflects much of what we’ve just learned from Freud and the Benign Violation theory in the following quote:

"Of course. And it’s still based on the same principles of what I think comedy is about. I think there’s a big difference between comedy and sense of humor. And I think a comedian’s job isn’t just to make people laugh. That’s easy; that could be a reflex."

You see some comedians; it’s the rhythm. They could even throw in a fake punch line; they get a laugh. And I think it’s about making people think about it and why it’s funny. I think comedy is about empathy. I can’t laugh with people I don’t like. I think you should know to be above the audience.

And there’s nothing remotely funny about seeing unfeasibly handsome, brilliant people come out and tell you why they’re brilliant. I want to see parts losing their way, falling over, and getting back up and dusting himself up. And you also got to see that humanity, that sort of struggle in anything, really. As opposed to changing my personality. Now, I don’t, but, of course, everything you do has got a persona.

Chat shows playing a sort of character. It’s not completely me. You know, I never let my guard down when I act. When I’m on Jon Stewart, I don’t act completely like I do with my friends. You know, you still edit yourself. You're still present.

Stand-up, again, is a persona. I play a brasher, more arrogant, more confident version of myself. And then, there’s another level on that, that I usually play the guy who says the wrong thing. The target of my stand-up scene likely soft targets, but, of course, the target is the audience’s own prejudice and middle-class angst and me. I’m always the butt of a joke. I’m ignorant. I come down on the wrong side.

Nelson Mandela, what a great guy, often gets a round of applause, incarcerated for over 25 years, released in 1990. He’s been out now for 19 years. And he hasn't reoffended. I think he’s going straight, which shows you prison does work.” — Ricky Gervais on Big Think

All this helps us analyze why something is and isn’t funny, but it doesn’t explain how people from various cultures differ in their perceptions. It doesn’t help us to understand the variations in how and why humor is used.

Cultural Variations in How Humor Affects Us

We now know that a violation can include social norms, moral standards, physical boundaries, or even linguistic rules. Violations create a sense of surprise, incongruity, or tension, which causes us to laugh if we feel safe.

Finding the sweet spot between the benign and a violation is difficult enough in your own culture, but it’s a whole lot harder in a culture different from your own. Culture not only influences acceptable power and social distance but also influences the norms for expressing amusement.

For example, in the Ted Talk “Intercultural Guide to Humor (at Home and Abroad),” Piotre Pluta tells the following Norwegian Joke:

When a stranger on the street smiles at you, you assume that: a. He is drunk b. He is insane. 3. He is an American d. … all of the above.

He goes on to explain what smiles mean to people from various cultures. For example, Polish people might think you’re stupid if you smile at them.

… And it seems they’re not the only ones.

Cohen’s d for the difference in intelligence ratings of smiling and non-smiling individuals across cultures. Red lines separate cultures in which smiling individuals are rated as significantly more intelligent (on the right) or significantly less intelligent (on the left).

Cohen’s d for the difference in honesty ratings of smiling and non-smiling individuals across cultures. The red line separates cultures in which smiling individuals are rated as significantly more honest (on the right) (Krys et al., 2015).

Although I’ve never consciously judged a person’s intelligence based on their smile, I sure have judged their honesty.

“Don’t trust people with thin lips,” was my father’s advice after meeting two of my previous girlfriends.

Maybe he’s right.

Then again…

I don’t judge lips, but I do judge humor.

In many Western countries, humorous people are considered more attractive. Plus, we associate wit with intelligence. However, it’s a bit more complicated in countries like China.

Yue, Jiang, Lu, and Hiranandani found that Canadians rated humor as more important than Chinese people. Then, using the Implicit Association Test, researchers found that despite Chinese students not showing significant differences in explicit attitudes toward humor compared to American students, they were more likely to associate humor implicitly with negative adjectives.^4

Of course, culture is not a static construct. Globalization has brought massive changes in individuals’ psychology and culture. We can see this with some of the inconsistent results in China, but first, we need to understand the four types of humor researchers look at.

• Affiliative: Inclusive humor everyone might laugh at that often involves everyday occurrences. Ellen is often quoted as an example of affiliative humor, but keep in mind it’s mostly inclusive for people with a Western background. You can also read about my time on Ellen here.
• Self-enhancing: Often making yourself the joke's target in a good-natured way. Need examples? Alex Dobrenko's "Both Are True" newsletter is a good example of this, offering absurd, honest comedy through vulnerable personal essays.
• Self-defeating: Putting yourself down.
  • “I said “hello” to darkness my old friend, and it told me that it doesn’t want to be my friend.” —Someone on boredpanda.com
  • “Feel free to use me as a bad example. That way, I won’t be totally useless.” —Someone else on boredpanda.com
• Aggressive humor: Putting down and targeting others. Some say Chappelle is an example.

These four types of humor were found to be applicable in different countries, such as Canada, China, the United States, Lebanon, and Belgium.

For example, Hiranandani and Yue found that students from India and Hong Kong, both having cultures prizing collectivism, used more affiliative and self-enhancing humor than aggressive and self-defeating humor.^6 This could be because the bicultural background of Hong Kong makes Confucianism and collectivism less influential there than in mainland China. It’s also important to keep in mind that there has been a general increase in individualism and a decrease in collectivism all over the globe.

Of course, there are different types of collectivistic and individualistic societies:

• Horizontal Collectivism is about equal participation and shared decision-making among peers, often seen in more egalitarian or democratic settings. E.g., Sweden.
• Vertical Collectivism involves a collective spirit but with clear roles and authority, typically found in hierarchical structures or groups with a central figure of authority. E.g., China.
• Horizontal Individualism promotes personal autonomy while prioritizing cooperation, equality, and the well-being of the collective. E.g., The Netherlands.
• Vertical Individualism allows for personal freedom and achievement within social hierarchies, emphasizing individual responsibility. E.g., Land of Freedom Fries.

With these four cultural dimensions, Kazarian and Martin systematically investigated the relationships between culture and the four types of humor usage. Here's what they uncovered when they compared humor use in Lebanese, Canadians, and Belgians:

• Lebanese reported lower self-enhancing humor than Canadians, lower aggressive humor than Belgians, and less affiliative humor than both Canadians and Belgians.
• People from horizontal collectivist cultures tend to use humor that brings people closer, like affiliative humor.
• In vertical collectivist cultures, folks are more likely to use humor that's a bit self-deprecating, like self-defeating humor.
• In vertical individualist cultures, people tend to use humor that's a tad more aggressive, maybe to boost their own status in the hierarchy.

The example with Dave Chappelle supports the idea that aggressive humor is more common in individualistic countries like the United States.

Now, if you listen to Dave Chappelle, Ricky Gervais, Chris Rock, Bill Burr, Joe Rogan, and the like, you’ve heard them complain about not being allowed to say anything anymore.

If you ignore the fact they make millions of dollars saying whatever they want on various platforms. You’re still free to make millions with your petty recycled trans jokes.

Yet, I feel ya. I enjoy aggressive, offensive humor as long as it’s subversive, and I think language control is ridiculous. However, notice how many times I used the word I in this paragraph? That’s because the way I feel might not be the way people from other cultures feel, be that a subculture or a country’s culture. And I respect that.

Maladaptive humor doesn't seem to do any favors for the mental well-being of Easterners, although the findings are a bit all over the place. Just like with Westerners, self-defeating humor is linked to feelings of loneliness and self-esteem issues among the Chinese. Cheung and Yue also discovered that aggressive and self-defeating humor were connected to higher levels of depression, anxiety, and irritation among Chinese students hailing from Guangzhou, Hong Kong, and Macau. However, when digging into how these four humor types affect mainland Chinese students' adaptation in Hong Kong, Cheung and Yue found that aggressive and self-defeating humor didn't consistently influence their adjustment.

Furthermore, Hiranandani and Yue revealed that aggressive humor didn't have a significant impact on the self-esteem of Indian or Chinese students. Overall, the study determined that aggressive humor wasn't significantly linked to self-esteem or overall well-being.

Navigating Humor Across Cultures: Observations and Insights

Now we’ve got a solid understanding of how smiles and the four types of humor affect people from different cultures. Still, the terms affiliative, self-enhancing, self-defeating, and aggressive humor help psychologists more than they help those of us who want to be funny worldwide. Or, at least, don’t want to be unfunny.

I’m sure a lot of us want to know the specifics. How do cultures vary in addressing stereotypes, satire, irony, parody, puns, quirkiness, and so on?

Now, we’re leaving psychology out of it. We’re focusing on opinions and observations from people around the world. Yes, people’s observations are prone to pluralistic ignorance, acquiescence bias, reference-group effects, deprivation effects, and everything else you can learn about in “What Is Culture, Really? Why WEIRD Psychology Doesn’t Explain the World.”

But, if you checked out the papers and studies from where I got my previous information, you know psychological humor research is full of limitations.

Writing about every culture’s sense of humor could turn into a newsletter that lasts a lifetime. I focused more on some cultures than others because I’m familiar with them and could find more information. If I left out a country, religion, or group that’s important to you, comment and share. I hope people return to the comments to create an ongoing discussion. Culture and subcultures change, merge, and adapt just like you do… hopefully.

What Not to Do (and What to Do)

Avoid making comparisons between the country you are in and other countries. Even if people in the culture are self-deprecating, this is not an invitation to join in. Most people can laugh at themselves but feel quite different when someone is laughing at them. — Esther Snipe

Well, that’s no fun. My advice is a little different. If you’re going to make comparisons, just don’t be Dutch about it. Instead, you can be fun, kind, and HSBC about it:

But wait, Nolan, what the hell does being Dutch about it even mean?

The Dutch have the most blunt culture in the world, together with the Israelis. I love the Dutch for that, but I’m Belgian. In other words, the Dutch don’t love me.

• A Belgian man drives his car into a street that has been blocked off by the police. He rolls down his window and asks the officer what's going on. The police officer responds, "We're searching for a serial rapist." The Belgian wishes the police good luck with their search and drives away. Twenty minutes later, the same Belgian man returns, rolls down his window, and says to the officer, "I've thought about it for a long time, but... I'll do it!"
• A Belgian is riding his bicycle on the highway and gets stopped by a motorbike cop. The officer says, "Well, don't you know where the bike path is?" The Belgian replies, "Yes, you go straight ahead and then take the first right turn, but I don't think you're allowed to ride your motorbike there!"

Dutch humor is blunt, cynical, and usually over the top, with many sexual connotations. Obviously, it’s not the best style when making comparisons or adding jokes to someone else’s self-deprecating humor.

You might be wondering: Why do the Dutch make so many jokes about the Belgians? Because they’re cheap.

• Example: Dutch husband to Dutch wife: “Put your coat on, dear.” “Why, darling, are we going out?” “No, I am. So I’ll just turn the heating off.”

But we Belgians also joke about our other arrogant neighbors.

• Example: Why did the French choose the cockerel as their national symbol? Because it’s the only animal that sings when it’s knee-deep in shit.

Okay, we’re pretty harsh too, but that’s because all our neighboring countries say this: “Why do Belgians have pommes frites, while the Arab world has oil? Because the Belgians got to choose first.”

At this point, you might be thinking Europeans all love to hate on each other. Well…

• The Danes on the Swedes: What’s the best ever thing to have come to us from Sweden? An empty ferry.
• The Germans on the Poles: When is it Christmas in Poland? Two days after Christmas in Germany.
• The Swiss on the Austrians: Why is the Austrian flag red-white-red? So they don’t get too confused when they hoist it.
• The Austrians on the Germans: The main difference between Austrians and the Germans is that Germans would like to understand Austrians but can’t, and Austrians understand Germans but would rather not.
• The Slovaks on the Czechs: What does a Czech need to be happy? Not much, as long as everyone else has got less.
• The Romanians on the Hungarians: “I’ve had all the tests, and the doctor tells me there’s no question I’m xenophobic. That’s another bloody illness the Hungarians have given me.”
• The Macedonians on the Greeks: A Greek motorist parks his car outside the parliament in Athens. “You can’t park here,” says the cop. “This is where our politicians work.” “That’s OK,” says the motorist. “It’s fitted with an alarm.”
• The Italians on themselves: Three reasons Jesus is an Italian: only an Italian son would live with his mama till he was 30. Only an Italian son could think his mama was still a virgin. Only an Italian mama could think her son was God.

At this point, you might think Europeans all share the same sense of humor — we love to hate on each other. But there are some differences to be aware of.

Humor in Europe

The following comes from Esther Snippe’s article, “Presenting Around the World: Cross-cultural Humor Guide,”^4 “Culture Shocks: Humor across cultures,” and my own observation.

• Humor often takes on a dark, surreal, and self-deprecating tone in France, Belgium, Denmark, and Spain. These cultures appreciate jokes touching on themes like death and other serious subjects typically linked to tension.
• Norway, Finland, Sweden, and Iceland have some of the darkest humor in the world. It has been said (probably by them) that they “have to make fun out of their own misery or they wouldn’t survive.”
• The British love satire, and their humor spans a broad spectrum from outright silliness to dark cynicism. Excessive sincerity is not typically well-received. They enjoy poking fun at themselves, and a significant portion of their humor involves self-deprecation. They also lean towards irony and jokes that challenge the limits of social acceptability.
• While irony and sarcasm are effective forms of humor in England, countries like Switzerland, Germany or the Netherlands prefer clear, direct, and to-the-point jokes rather than convoluted double entendres.
• Germans, however, enjoy wordplay and double entendres. Political satire and social taboos are often at the crux of comedy. Keep in mind they are less likely to make or laugh at jokes in a business setting.
• Italians appreciate slapstick and physical comedy, along with puns and irony. They deliver jokes with exuberance, using generous hand gestures.
• Hungarians are renowned for their sense of humor, although it may be characterized as cynical and dark.
• In Poland, parody, slapstick, and satire about politics or current events are quite popular. They also love bitter jokes with subtleties often lost on other nationalities.
• Almost anything can become the subject of a joke in Bulgaria, and foreigners might perceive Bulgarian humor as excessively blunt or offensive, as Bulgarians frequently indulge in politically incorrect humor.
• The sense of humor in the Baltics (Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia) is rather subtle. The humor involves a mixture of wit, self-deprecation, satire, and cynicism. Over-the-top slapstick and off-color humor don’t fly here.
• People from the Balkans have dark humor and frequently address topics like death, war, illness, and crime in a light or satirical manner. However, it's generally best to avoid making fun of their society, government, or economic situation.
• Russians enjoy a good laugh, and while jokes about drinking and sex are acceptable in social settings, humor in business tends to be more intellectual. Russians are open to humor on topics some cultures may find uncomfortable, such as jokes about lower-income groups. Notably, Russian humor rarely touches on religion because it held little significance during the Soviet era. Physical pain or slapstick humor doesn't resonate with most Russians, and joking about someone's family is considered taboo. Also, keep in mind that Russian humor is intricately tied to language nuances, making it challenging to translate. Many polyglots agree that complex word formations contribute to wordplay and flexibility.

In Ukraine, humor is also tightly bound to the subtleties of their language, whether speaking Russian or Ukrainian. As confirmed by Alex Dobrenko’s grandpa and my girlfriend, Odessa is the humor capital of the world. "The 'Odessa sense of humor' is legendary, to the point that it has its own genre of jokes that people tell and retell. It’s very Jewish, but also has a highly specific streak of hustle culture & optimism in the face of horror. You can be an “Odessit” & not Jewish, but we are a tribe." — Sofia Alexandra.

But what is Jewish humor?

• It’s substantive (deals with substantial topics, including food, family, business, anti-Semitism, wealth, health, and survival.) It also delves into the mind's and logic's complexities, exploring the fine line between rationality and absurdity.
• It’s anti-authoritarian: Jewish humor ridicules grandiosity, hypocrisy, and pomposity.
• It’s critical and frequently explores the conflict between individuals or communities and the power structure.
• It mocks everyone, even religious figures, institutions, rituals, and dogma.^5

Humor in Asia

• In China, jokes often rely on the complexities of the Chinese writing system, making clever use of characters that change meaning depending on context. While people appreciate intelligent humor, avoiding sensitive topics like politics or cultural criticism is best. Personal jokes about marriage or family are also discouraged, as is making fun of individuals, which can be easily misconstrued. This caution is rooted in the "Mianzi" concept, representing the Chinese cultural value of maintaining social harmony and self-respect. However, from my experience teaching hundreds of Chinese students, they love a body image joke, which might upset some people with modern North American sensibilities.
• In Japan, slapstick and physical humor are widely enjoyed but can be challenging to incorporate into a formal business setting. While self-deprecating humor is valued in the West, in Asia, it often elicits empathy and discomfort rather than laughter. Additionally, puns, often termed 'old man' jokes, are prevalent but met with groans. Japanese humor also includes the tradition of Rakugo, featuring humorous, long-winded stories with foolish characters and social mishaps.
• Korean humor is often direct and embraces funny voices. Slapstick and insult humor are popular, and Koreans may smile in different situations, not necessarily indicating amusement. Comedians often play with personas and societal roles, making humorous yet well-meaning observations about others.
• In Thailand and the Philippines, people are easygoing and enjoy humor, but avoiding jokes about their highly respected royal families is crucial.
• In Indonesia, audience members may enthusiastically share what they find funny or like by repeating it to their neighbors, creating lively conversations after your remarks.
• Indian humor thrives on slapstick, practical jokes, and straightforward double meanings that are universally understood. While Indians often joke about regional differences, foreigners should avoid such jokes. Sarcasm, cynicism, dark humor, and subtlety can be misinterpreted. Indian comedy is diverse but often involves teasing individuals or groups from rival regions. It also frequently pokes fun at cultural traditions, especially among younger people. Family scenarios, like mother-in-law/daughter-in-law rivalry, are prevalent themes in Indian humor.
  • “Your humor has to be a lot deeper-rooted in truth than anywhere else in the world. About 80% of the audience has to agree with you at any given point, you have to have presumed common knowledge and audience approval.”
  • “There are regional differences. Delhiites will laugh at anything. I could launch into sex after 12 minutes in Delhi, but I have to wait until minute 30 in Mumbai, 45 in Bangalore. In Calcutta, it's six hours before I can do an orgasm joke, so it's all about rooms and age groups.” —Vir Das

Humor in the Arab States

Humor varies widely across Arab states and Islamic-majority Asian countries. While Muslims have a strong sense of humor, it's crucial to consider cultural differences.

• In all Arab states, jokes must respect the Quran and Hadith guidelines, avoiding religious subjects and family-related humor. Humor in Saudi Arabia can be complex, as it's often associated with wasting time and losing prestige. Gentle mockery may hurt feelings rather than amuse. People in Arabic culture may not openly show offense, so vetting jokes with a local is essential.
• Similar guidelines apply to Asian countries with significant Islamic populations, such as Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Brunei, Malaysia, Singapore, and the Maldives.

Humor in Latin America

• Brazilians embrace sarcasm, dryness, and dark humor, while Mexicans use mockery to ease tension and value political incorrectness.
• In Mexico, dark humor covers politics, race, and more but avoids jokes about national or religious symbols.
• Brazil prefers situational humor linked to the context rather than unrelated jokes in serious situations.
• Chilean humor can seem slightly offensive compared to neighboring countries, so don't be surprised if you don't immediately grasp the jokes. Avoid making self-deprecating comments about their country.

Humour in Canada and the USA

• In Canada, there's a contrast between French Canadian and English Canadian humour. French Canadian humour tends to be darker and more sarcastic. Avoid jokes based on race or cultural stereotypes, including those involving First Nations people. Canadians often poke fun at Americans, not from prejudice but to differentiate themselves.
• American humour is equally diverse, encompassing sarcasm, slapstick, and more. Starting a presentation with a funny story can build rapport, but be cautious about political jokes, as views vary widely.
• American humour tends to be fast-paced and relies on stereotypes and ethnic differences. It also revels in the absurdity of everyday life. In contrast, Canadian comedy often leans towards light satire, irony, and parody.
• Again, this comes from a cultural competence perspective. I grew up in a small Canadian town, and offensive, aggressive humour was part of what bonded my diverse group of friends.

Humour in Africa

• With 2,000 distinct languages and 54 recognized sovereign countries, Africa is the most diverse continent on earth. Accurately describing the variations of humour would take an entirely new series.
• However, this is how Esther Snippe generalizes the continent’s sense of humour.

Africans use laughter to make life more bearable. They use it to brighten up the darkest of life’s tribulations and even invite their funniest friends to funerals to help family and friends deal with the loss.

Jokes are often made about the traits of other ethnic groups, such as their speech and customs. Such humour is fashioned around the differences among ethnic groups, not necessarily in a racist or offensive way, but more in a “Look at how funny the differences are between us” kind of way. Ethnic or tribal jokes are not often told in public settings, and you should avoid them as a foreigner.

Conformity is very important, and if a person stands out, they are likely to be made fun of. That being said, gentle teasing is often used to establish contact and build bonds between people and is very common.  Slapstick humour is a huge part of African humour and is almost guaranteed to get you a laugh.

For people who know much more about Africa than I do, check out 

Switter’s World and Edwin Kiptoo Ngetich from THE STARTUP from AFRICA.

As I mentioned before, these are observations and opinions. So, let me know what you think.

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Works Cited

1. Humor. (n.d.). APA Dictionary of Psychology.https://dictionary.apa.org/humor
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