Being sarcastic is not always well received in society, especially by the most sensitive people. However, new research from the Harvard Business School (USA) suggests that the processes involved with the initiation and subsequent expression of a sarcastic comment can improve creativity and cognitive functioning of both , both of which it offers as the recipient. The research has been published in the journal Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes .
The researchers wanted to examine the effects of sarcasm on creativity. For this, they had the participation of 300 men and women whose creativity was tested by carrying out various tasks after saying or listening to sarcastic comments , also adding a control group that was asked for sincerity in their evaluations, instead sarcasm.
The results revealed that those people who made sarcastic comments (as well as those who received them) were 3 times more creative than the control group . Despite showing more interpersonal conflicts, the more sarcastic participants were able to demonstrate greater creativity in their tasks.
“ We have found that sarcasm can stimulate creativity, the generation of ideas, solutions, ideas or problems that are new and useful . As Oscar Wilde believed, sarcasm may represent a lower form of wit, but it seemed to us that it certainly channels a higher form of thinking, ”explains Li Huang, co-author of the study.
The researchers hope these results will encourage looking at sarcasm from a less negative perspective and discovering the right circumstances in which it can be used. The next step will be to analyze the various types of sarcasm, jokes or criticism, with a view to their impact on cognitive function.
