British poet Oscar Wilde once said a famous saying: Sarcasm is the lowest expression of wit, but it is also the highest expression of wisdom.

In the eyes of many people, sarcasm is a derogatory term. Those who speak sourly and like to sarcastically comment on others will always be unpopular in social situations, so that parents will teach their children this way: Sarcasm is insulting.

But sarcasm is not always a rude and disrespectful comment. Research in recent years has found that sarcastic language is one of the signs of a flexible brain and creative thinking.

Ridiculing the brain that needs to think quickly

To answer a question or express an opinion, it can be said to be very simple without irony, because your brain does not require too much thinking.

Penny Pexman, a professor of psychology at the University of Calgary in Canada, pointed out that communication between sarcastic languages ??requires the brain to think quickly for one or even several rounds in order to get the true meaning. intention.

In other words, the level of intelligence it requires is far more than what is stated in words.

In addition, some people also need to consider that they can express their true emotions without the other person feeling embarrassed or hurt.

Therefore, people who always speak with thorns have a faster brain reaction than ordinary people, and they must think deeply to achieve it.

Adults can perceive the deeper meaning of language, but children under the age of 5 will almost always take sarcastic remarks seriously, even if they are intended to be humorous.

In a typical past study, children under the age of 5 were asked to listen to a story: a puppet named "Jane" tried to draw a rose, but always failed to draw it well. At this time, her friend smiled and said, "Jane, you are really an excellent painter."

After listening to the story, children often cannot immediately identify the irony contained in this sentence. Most children There will be a tendency to take the statement literally, and even if one becomes aware of the hidden meaning behind the words, one may think that Jane's friend is lying.

Sirists are more creative thinkers

Scholars from Harvard University and Columbia University in the United States have discovered that there is a special connection between satire and creativity.

People who speak sarcastically and can quickly understand sarcasm will be three times higher than ordinary people in some tests of creativity.

In one of the researchers' "candle" tests, participants were given a candle, a pack of matches, and a box of tacks, and were tasked with figuring out how to make the candle burn on the wall. , and the wax oil will not drip to the ground.

The correct approach should be to empty the tack box, install it on the wall, and then put the candle inside - this solution can only be thought of after the brain thinks laterally about the function of each prop.

Before the test, some participants were asked to recall a sarcastic conversation, while others were asked to recall a sincere exchange.

Surprisingly, the experimental results found that the success rate of those who recalled sarcastically was twice that of those who recalled sincerely, increasing from 30% to more than 60%.

Researchers therefore point out that people who are good at using sarcastic language are usually more creative people.

As a form of humor, sarcasm can also help people cope with frustration or stress.

Research by Kathrin Rothermich, associate professor of disease at East Carolina University in the United States, found that during the COVID-19 pandemic, people with depression and anxiety tended to increase their use of sarcasm. This may reflect a new coping mechanism—an emotional outlet.

It is most important for parents to lead by example

The main motivation of sarcasm is to communicate, to add a little "color" to the message we want to convey, so that everything we say will not be dry and boring. words.

Since children under the age of 5 cannot understand the irony of language, at what age do they have to wait?

Penny Pexman pointed out that until about 10 years old, children Only then will you begin to develop the ability to understand sarcastic statements.

This development trajectory seems to follow the law of "theory of mind", that is, a child's ability to understand the intentions of others will become more complex as he grows older.

Being able to understand the irony implicit in language requires not only keen observation, rich mastery of vocabulary and exploration of subtle contexts, but also the blessing of rich social experience to be able to perform in-depth interpretations.

Researchers aren't entirely sure yet what determines how children interpret sarcastic remarks, but Penny Pexman said factors may include the number of times the sarcasm is used in the family. , the social environment in which children live, and the types of TV programs they watch.

After all, for the "naive" group in the eyes of adults, it is not easy just to understand sarcasm. Being able to freely use sarcastic tone requires skilled language skills.

As for whether sarcasm can have a positive effect on children, it depends on parents setting an example.

If parents use well-intentioned sarcasm to express their views on something or someone, and it does not give people a feeling of contempt, but is one of the means to bring the two parties closer, then using jokes to convey The irony of mood is salutary.

On the other hand, if it is a personal attack or sarcasm that causes embarrassment to the other party, then this approach is actually harmful in the name of humor. Children will also follow suit and introduce this model into their own social circles.

They can learn from their parents that sarcasm can be funny or insulting.