Twisted Tales: Unraveling the Surprising Benefits of Irony

Under the Cortex

Using irony is a common practice in everyday speech. What’s the main purpose of doing so? What skills are necessary to best understand irony?

In this episode, Under the Cortex features Penny Pexman from Western University. The conversation with Özge Gürcanlı Fischer Baum raises questions about the cognitive, social and emotional benefits of verbal irony. According to Pexman’s research published in APS’s journal Current Directions, cognitive flexibility and emotion recognition are crucial aspects that underlie the processing of sarcastic speech. Despite its reputation of being a negative practice, verbal irony shapes social relationships and enhances cognitive skills.

If you're interested in learning more about this research, visit psychologicalscience.org.