Why good jokes are hard to remember
...but bad ones are easy
Good jokes are harder to remember than bad ones, scientists have discovered.The best gags work by subverting the usual thought patterns – which is exactly what makes them less memorable – while predictable jokes are easier to recall because their structure and punchline are exactly what the mind expects.
Robert Provine, professor of psychology at Maryland University (pictured) said: 'What makes a joke successful is also what makes it difficult to remember. The punchline involves an unexpected turn.
As an example, he said: 'Someone tells you a list of flowers, like roses, daffodils, petunias and brick. That was unexpected and funny. You remember ‘brick’, but not probably the correct list of flowers.'
He added: 'It’s easier to follow a song because it has rhyme and rhythm. I hear a good joke but usually I can’t remember all of it.'
Daniel Schacter, professor of psychology at Harvard University, also had a theory. He told the Sunday Times: 'We humans are better at remembering the general meaning or gist of things; this is why we can remember anecdotes. With jokes we have to remember details like nuance and timing.’
Published: 22 Mar 2009
