Jokes and Their Relation to the Unconscious

Sigmund Freud's work, Jokes and Their Relation to the Unconscious (1905), explores how jokes function similarly to dreams in revealing hidden aspects of the psyche. Freud proposed that jokes, like dreams, involve "joke-work" that can expose repressed material from the unconscious mind.1

He suggested that the pleasure derived from jokes stems from the release of unconscious impulses, both aggressive and sexual. Freud distinguished between humor, which he believed was "found," and wit, which he considered to be "made" through conscious artifice and mental agility. The laughter provoked by jokes, according to Freud, arises from a sudden sense of superiority experienced when comparing oneself to the perceived infirmity of others. This release of tension and energy, often stemming from repressed emotions, is a key element in why jokes are perceived as funny.123