New research has found that dark humor can backfire and even increase anxiety in some people.
Viewing light humor can help reduce anxiety, but darker forms of comedy can have the opposite effect for many peopleaccording to a new study carried out in Hungary. Research, in the journal Personality and Individual Differences, suggests that emotional responses to humor depend largely on individual preferences and comedic style.
Researchers led by Julia Basler examined how different types of humor influence anxiety and emotional states. The team recruited 275 adults with an average age of 25, most of them Hungarians. Participants first responded to psychological assessments that measured their anxiety levels, emotional state, and preferred humor styles.
Researchers categorized mood into I hear comic styles. Four lighter forms were considered — fun, humorous, absurd and witty — characterized by playful, cooperative or positive comic expressions. The darker styles—sarcasm, cynicism, satire, and irony—focused more on ridicule, criticism, or derision.
Participants then watched six short videos of cartoons and comedy films. Three videos featured lighter humor, while the remaining three contained darker comedic elements. Anxiety levels and emotional states were measured before and after each set of videosand participants rated how much they liked the videos.
Based on their responses to the mood questionnaire, participants were divided into four groups: those with a low general interest in humor, those who preferred light humor, those who preferred dark humor, and those who enjoyed both styles.
The results showed clear differences in how viewers reacted. Individuals who preferred light humor showed a significant increase in anxiety after viewing dark humor videos, while their anxiety levels remained unchanged after viewing light humor videos. People with little general interest in humor showed a similar pattern: Anxiety decreased after watching light humor videos, but increased after watching dark humor videos, says .
Participants who appreciated both types of humor presented a reducing anxiety after viewing light humor videos, but their anxiety did not change after viewing dark humor videos. Meanwhile, individuals who preferred dark humor did not show any significant change in anxiety, regardless of the type of video they viewed.
The researchers also examined changes in emotional states. In most groups, the intensity of positive and negative emotions decreased after watching the videos. However, the reduction in negative emotions was more pronounced after watching light humor videos than dark humor videos across several groups. The authors suggested that the overall drop in positive emotions over the course of the experiment may be linked to the laboratory environmentand not the humor itself. Watching multiple videos and repeatedly answering quizzes may have reduced participant engagement.
Despite this limitation, the study highlights how mood does not affect everyone in the same way. According to researchers, light humor appears to offer more consistent protection against anxiety, while darker forms of humor can increase stress in people who don’t enjoy this style.
