The Incongruity-resolution model

The Incongruity-Resolution model explains humor as the mental process of recognizing a mismatch or unexpected element (incongruity) in a situation or statement, and then resolving it by reinterpreting or making sense of it. Essentially, humor arises when our minds detect something surprising or out of place, but we quickly find a clever way to understand or connect the dots. This process creates a mental 'aha' moment, which is why we find certain jokes or funny situations amusing. It highlights how laughter often results from our ability to resolve the playful inconsistency in our expectations.