The Science of Comedy

* Superiority - comedy that allows you to feel superior as it makes fun of something or someone's shortcomings.

* Revelation - comedy that reveals a truth that is rarely talked about, in the form of a joke. Like the unprompted truth of a child who breaks an unspoken social practice.

* Incongruous - comedy where something is said that does not conform with expectations, for instance deliver a punch-line that violates expectations inherent in the setup or contains an unexpected, often sudden, shift in perspective, led astray by incorrect or false expectations.

* Observational - comedy that revolves around making observations about everyday life.

* Imitation - perform caricatures where traits of people are exaggerated.