Humor: Origin & Evolution

Humor: Its Origin and Development brings together current research on the development of humor and offers some new ideas on it's evolutionary origins. [circa 1980] Focusing on the various influences on children's humor, Paul E, McGhee shows that a child learns to create and appreciate humor as he or she develops certain cognitive skills. McGhee also discusses humor as useful clinical tool and as a therapeutic way for us to cope with our problems. Tracing its evolution in the human species as well as its growth in the individual, the book treats humor as a unique form of play with symbols, ideas, and images, perhaps not beyond the capacity of animals, such as the now-famous apes who communicate - and make "jokes" - with sign language. Anyone interested in humor will find this book informative and intriguing. Humor: Its Origin and Development requires no specialized background or knowledge and makes an excellent text or supplement for courses in psychology, family development, sociology, and literature. --- from book's back cover