Humour and the Theory of Psychological Reversals

Apter, Michael J.; Smith, K.C.P.

doi:10.1016/b978-0-08-021376-7.50021-8

Cited by 70 publications

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“…Recently, Apter and others (e.g. Smith & Apter, 1975;Murgatroyd et al 1978;Apter, 1979;Apter, 1982) have incorporated the concept of planning orientation in an extensive theory of motivational states known as 'reversal theory'. In the present context, we shall be considering a pair of such states: the telic-paratelic pair.…”

Section: The Effect Of a Threatening Context Upon Motivation And Taskmentioning

confidence: 99%

The effect of a threatening context upon motivation and task‐induced physiological changes

Svebak¹,

Storfjell²,

Dalen³

1982

British J of Psychology

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Section: The Effect Of a Threatening Context Upon Motivation And Taskmentioning

confidence: 99%

The effect of a threatening context upon motivation and task‐induced physiological changes

Svebak¹,

Storfjell²,

Dalen³

1982

British J of Psychology

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“…An essentially similar approach in psychological research, the "reversal theory" of motivation by Apter & Smith (see [2,3,4,5,6,7,8,38]) is presented below.…”

Section: I Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

BI-stability of emotions and motivations: An evolutionary consequence of the open-ended capacity for learning

Vandermolen

1984

Acta Biotheor

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Instituut voor persoonlijkheids-en ontwikkelingspsychologie, RijksUniversiteit Groningen, Oude Boteringestraat 34, ABSTRACT Species, endowed with an open-ended capacity for learning, which is one of the highest evolutionary achievements, will profit most from this ability, if they are urged one way or other to invest any surplus of energy in expanding and refining their behavioural repertoire and in adapting it to prevailing circumstances, while incurring as little risk and stress as possible.It is therefore argued that an open-ended capacity for learning is maximally adding to survival if paired to two distinct tendencies: I) a tendency to seek high-arousal evoking situations whenever surplus energy is available, and 2) a tendency to seek arousal reducing situations as soon as the surplus energy is exhausted.This suggests that abi-stable "telic/paratelic" system ofprefered levels of arousal, as described for humans by Apter & Smith's theory of motivational reversals, and as expressed in Kortmulder's model of the "centripetal/centrifugal" hi-polarity of animal behavioural tendencies, can be considered an Evolutionarily Stable Strategy (E.S.S.), as compared to homeostatic systems of arousal and motivation.

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“…Apter and Smith (1977) theorize that humor can help individuals see a situation as less severe, and distance themselves from negative emotions. According to Caron (2002), humor produces the positive emotion of mirth, which helps individuals cope with negative situations.…”

Section: Humor and Its Relationship To Age And Lonelinessmentioning

confidence: 99%

Loneliness, Social Interactions and Sense of Humor. A Quantitative Study Comparing Romanian Students and Older Adults

Schiau

2016

SCECO

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Humour and the Theory of Psychological Reversals

Cited by 70 publications

References 0 publications

The effect of a threatening context upon motivation and task‐induced physiological changes

The effect of a threatening context upon motivation and task‐induced physiological changes

BI-stability of emotions and motivations: An evolutionary consequence of the open-ended capacity for learning

Loneliness, Social Interactions and Sense of Humor. A Quantitative Study Comparing Romanian Students and Older Adults

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