The Psychology of Humor in Cartoons: Why We Laugh at Simple Drawings Why do we laugh at cartoons? Not just the obviously funny ones, but those quiet moments too. The ones where a single raised eyebrow or oddly specific caption makes you chuckle unexpectedly. Understanding the psychology of humor in cartoons reveals something fascinating about…
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“Hot Dogs” Caption Contest Commentary with Lawrence Wood
This contest featured a cartoon by Mike Shiell, who joined our judging panel. Mike is best known for supervising and directing Emmy-nominated children’s shows like “The Backyardigans” and “Mike the Knight.” In his drawing, two anthropomorphic hot dogs are on a rotating roller grill, the kind you see at concession stands in movie theaters. The…
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Do Funny Cartoons Reduce Stress
Do Funny Cartoons Really Reduce Stress? What Studies Say We’ve all been there. You’re staring at your screen, feeling completely overwhelmed, when suddenly a funny cartoon catches your eye. You chuckle, maybe just a little smirk, but somehow you feel lighter. Is this just a pleasant distraction, or do funny cartoons reduce stress in a…
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Psychology of Satire
Why We Love Satirical Cartoons: The Psychology Behind Our Favorite Humor You know that feeling when you see a cartoon that makes you chuckle and think “that’s so true” at the same time? That’s the psychology of satire at work. There’s something uniquely satisfying about humor that cuts straight to the point while making us…
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Timing in single-panel cartoons
The Role of Timing & Surprise in Single-Panel Cartoons “Timing is everything.” You’ve probably heard this about stand-up comedy or movies, but what about a single drawing on a page? It might sound weird to talk about timing in something that doesn’t move, but timing in single-panel cartoons is actually one of the most important…
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