Ronald Reagan and Humor: A politician's velvet weapon

Abstract

The use of humor was an important aspect of Ronald Reagan's rhetorical appeal. Three major theories of humor have been suggested in the development of the literature: the relief theory, involving emotional release of tension; the incongruity theory, where the cognitive functioning reacts to unexpected input; and the superiority theory, which holds that humor results from feeling superior to others, who may be considered disobedient or somehow “wrong.” The application of the theories to Reagan's humor shows how he used humor to criticize authority without being perceived as too harsh or negative, as well as to promote positive feelings from his audiences.