Research reveals that dad jokes are good for a child's development
It looks like dads were correct all along...
Dads are synonymous for their cheesy jokes.
But for their families, it is sometimes considered a blessing and a curse... a blessing because it reminds us that dads who tell dad jokes are a special breed, and a curse because if you're a teenager who is going through the self conscious phase, these jokes can sometimes be considered embarrassing.
But it seems that dad jokes are more valuable to the family than we all expected them to be.
"Marc Hye-Knudsen, a humor researcher and the lab manager at Aarhus University’s Cognition and Behavior Lab, wrote an article in the British Psychological Society that explains how dad jokes teach children how to be resilient." (Upworthy)
Are dad jokes funny?@marchk explores the psychology behind dad jokes and their value.
— British Psychological Society (@BPSOfficial) March 19, 2023
Take dad jokes seriously - read the full article, available on the @psychmag iOS/Android app. pic.twitter.com/tDHkuJHKsA
For more from East Coast Radio
The essay is entitled, “Dad jokes? That’s the way eye roll…”
The article says, "In 2019, the term dad joke made it into Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary as ‘a wholesome joke of the type said to be told by fathers with a punchline that is often an obvious or predictable pun or play on words and usually judged to be endearingly corny or unfunny’." (BPS)
We love that Hye-Knudson associated dad jokes as an extended parenting style. Dads are generally the ones who initiate silliness and playfighting with their kids, which is a way of teaching their kids how to be stronger, as well as resilient. Plus it helps kids discover their personal boundaries.
"In addition to toughening up children by exposing them to embarrassment, it also shows a willingness to be embarrassed on the dad’s behalf. This is another way for a father to model how to handle embarrassment and show that it’s not that big of a deal to be the butt of a joke. The joke makes the subtle point to the child that if an adult can handle mild humiliation, they can, too." (Upworthy)
Certainly deeper rooted than we all thought. Looks like dads have some competition with pizzas now... the cheesier the better.
P.S That was our attempt at a dad joke, how did we do?
Image Courtesy of Pexels