Science Says People Who Enjoy Dark Humor May Have Higher Intelligence

Most people have at least one friend who laughs at jokes that make everyone else pause in disbelief. Whether it’s a clever joke about death, an awkward medical situation, or a wildly inappropriate punchline, dark humor has always divided opinion. Some see it as offensive, while others argue it’s simply another form of intelligent comedy that requires a different way of thinking.

Now, researchers believe there may be more to that argument than anyone realized. A study from the Medical University of Vienna found that people who genuinely appreciate black humor tend to score higher on intelligence tests than those who don’t. Even more surprising, they were also found to be less aggressive and emotionally more stable than participants who disliked this style of comedy. The findings challenge the long-held stereotype that people who enjoy morbid jokes are cold or insensitive, suggesting instead that understanding dark humor may require a more sophisticated mix of cognitive and emotional skills.

Researchers Wanted to Find Out Why Some People Laugh at Morbid Jokes

Dark humor, often referred to as “gallows humor,” has fascinated psychologists for decades because it pushes against social norms. Unlike everyday comedy, these jokes often revolve around subjects that people usually avoid, including death, disease, tragedy, and suffering. While some immediately dismiss them as distasteful, others find them surprisingly clever, raising an interesting question: why do people react so differently to the exact same joke?

To investigate that question, psychologist Ulrike Willinger and her team at the Medical University of Vienna designed a study involving 156 adults from a variety of educational backgrounds. The participants included 76 women and 80 men, allowing researchers to examine whether intelligence, education, personality, and emotional wellbeing influenced how people responded to black humor.

Before introducing any jokes, the researchers carefully measured several characteristics of each participant. Verbal intelligence was assessed using vocabulary-based tests, while nonverbal intelligence was measured separately through IQ assessments. Participants also completed psychological questionnaires designed to evaluate aggression levels and current mood. By collecting this information first, the researchers hoped to determine whether appreciation of dark humor was linked to deeper personality traits rather than simple personal preference.

The experiment built upon ideas that date back more than a century. Sigmund Freud argued in his 1905 work Jokes and Their Relation to the Unconscious that humor allows people to safely release thoughts and emotions that society normally encourages them to suppress. Willinger’s team wanted to see whether modern psychological testing would support that theory.

Participants Were Shown Cartoons That Most People Would Call Offensive

Once the preliminary testing was complete, participants were presented with a series of 12 cartoons taken from German cartoonist Uli Stein’s collection The Black Book. Unlike traditional comic strips, these illustrations focused almost entirely on uncomfortable topics. Death, suicide, severe illness, disability, pain, and medical treatment all featured prominently, creating exactly the kind of material that often divides audiences.

Rather than simply asking whether the participants laughed, researchers examined several different reactions. Each person rated how easy the joke was to understand, how funny they found it, whether it felt vulgar or offensive, and how much they personally appreciated the humor. This approach allowed the researchers to separate comprehension from enjoyment. Someone could understand the joke perfectly well while still deciding they didn’t like it.

That distinction proved to be one of the most important parts of the entire study. Appreciating dark humor wasn’t simply about recognizing the punchline. It involved processing irony, social context, emotional distance, and multiple layers of meaning, all within a matter of seconds. Researchers suspected this extra level of mental processing might explain why some people responded so differently than others.

After reviewing the results, clear patterns began to emerge. Instead of random reactions, participants naturally grouped into three distinct categories, each with remarkably different psychological profiles.

Three Groups Emerged, But One Clearly Stood Out

The first group represented the largest portion of participants. These individuals displayed average intelligence, moderate levels of aggression, and a fairly balanced opinion of the cartoons. They generally understood the jokes and occasionally found them amusing, but they neither strongly embraced nor strongly rejected black humor.

The second group reacted very differently. Although their intelligence scores remained close to average, they appreciated the jokes far less than anyone else involved in the study. They also recorded significantly higher aggression scores on the psychological assessments. Researchers found this combination particularly interesting because these participants often understood the cartoons but still failed to enjoy them.

The third group produced the study’s most unexpected findings. Participants who reported the strongest appreciation for dark humor consistently achieved the highest scores on both verbal and nonverbal intelligence tests. They also demonstrated lower aggression levels and better overall emotional wellbeing than either of the other two groups. Rather than fitting the stereotype of cynical or hostile personalities, they appeared calmer and psychologically healthier.

The researchers summarized their findings by writing, “The most surprising result is that subjects who show the highest values with respect to black humour preference and comprehension show high values with respect to intelligence, have higher education levels and show lowest values regarding mood disturbance and aggression.”

Why Intelligence May Make Dark Humor Easier to Understand

One of the biggest takeaways from the study is that enjoying dark humor isn’t simply about having a different personality. Researchers believe it requires several mental abilities working together at the same time. Unlike straightforward jokes, black humor often relies on irony, hidden meanings, contradictions, and the ability to separate fictional scenarios from real-life emotions. Processing all of that in a split second demands more than a quick laugh.

Someone hearing a dark joke first has to recognize the context, understand the intended irony, and realize that the humor isn’t meant to encourage cruelty or celebrate tragedy. Only after working through those layers can they decide whether the joke is amusing. That process, the researchers suggest, may explain why participants with stronger verbal and nonverbal intelligence consistently appreciated the cartoons more than others.

At the same time, emotional stability also appeared to play an important role. Participants with lower levels of aggression and fewer mood disturbances seemed more comfortable engaging with uncomfortable subjects in a playful way. Rather than reacting emotionally to the topic itself, they were better able to focus on the joke’s structure and intended meaning.

The researchers even suggested that aggressive feelings may interfere with humor processing. In the study, they explained, “Seemingly, only those subjects who have no aggressive feelings towards others as well as no mood disturbance such as dysphoric or depressive mood can afford or get away with playful exposure in the course of black humour processing.” In other words, people who are emotionally balanced may find it easier to separate a joke from reality.

The Findings Support a Theory That Is More Than 100 Years Old

Although the research was published in 2017, the central idea isn’t entirely new. More than a century earlier, Sigmund Freud proposed that humor serves as a safe outlet for thoughts and emotions people usually keep hidden. In his 1905 book Jokes and Their Relation to the Unconscious, Freud argued that comedy allows people to release tension without causing harm, especially when dealing with subjects that society considers uncomfortable.

Willinger’s findings offer modern evidence that may support parts of Freud’s theory. Rather than showing that people who enjoy morbid jokes are emotionally detached, the study suggests they may actually possess greater emotional control. Their ability to appreciate difficult topics without becoming distressed could reflect stronger cognitive flexibility rather than a lack of empathy.

That doesn’t mean every fan of dark comedy has a high IQ, nor does it suggest intelligence can be measured by someone’s taste in jokes alone. The researchers identified a correlation within the group they studied, not a rule that applies to every individual. Humor remains highly personal, shaped by culture, life experiences, personality, and upbringing.

Still, the results challenge one of the most common assumptions about black humor. The people who appreciated it the most weren’t the angriest or the least compassionate. According to the study, they were often the opposite.

Enjoying Dark Humor Doesn’t Automatically Mean You’re Smarter

It’s tempting to read the study and conclude that anyone who laughs at dark jokes must be exceptionally intelligent. That’s not what the research says. Instead, it found that within this particular group of participants, higher intelligence scores were associated with a greater appreciation and understanding of black humor.

There are countless reasons why someone may dislike jokes involving death or tragedy. Personal experiences, cultural values, religious beliefs, or simply individual taste can all influence what people find funny. Likewise, plenty of highly intelligent people prefer observational comedy, satire, or slapstick over gallows humor.

Psychologists also point out that humor itself is incredibly complex. Different styles of comedy activate different ways of thinking, and no single type can fully capture a person’s intelligence or personality. Dark humor is simply one category that appears to demand a unique combination of abstract thinking, emotional regulation, and language skills.

The study offers an interesting glimpse into how our brains process comedy, but it isn’t a personality test. Appreciating one kind of joke doesn’t define who someone is, and disliking it certainly doesn’t mean they lack intelligence.

A Different Way of Looking at an Old Stereotype

Dark humor has often been dismissed as something only cynical or insensitive people enjoy. This research paints a much more nuanced picture. Instead of linking black comedy to hostility, the study found that those who appreciated it most tended to combine stronger reasoning abilities with lower aggression and better emotional wellbeing.

That doesn’t settle the debate over what people should or shouldn’t laugh at, and it certainly won’t make every dark joke funny. Humor will always depend on personal boundaries and individual taste. But the next time someone chuckles at an unexpectedly morbid punchline, the science suggests there may be far more going on inside their mind than meets the eye.

Sources:

• Willinger, U., Hergovich, A., Schmoeger, M., Deckert, M., Stoettner, S., Bunda, I., Witting, A., Seidler, M., Moser, R., Kacena, S., Jaeckle, D., Loader, B., Mueller, C., & Auff, E. (2017). Cognitive and emotional demands of black humour processing: the role of intelligence, aggressiveness and mood. Cognitive Processing, 18(2), 159–167. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10339-016-0789-y