{"id":172405,"date":"2015-07-24T11:30:08","date_gmt":"2015-07-24T15:30:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/webadmin.news-harvard.go-vip.net\/gazette\/gazette\/?p=172405"},"modified":"2015-07-24T11:30:08","modified_gmt":"2015-07-24T15:30:08","slug":"go-ahead-be-sarcastic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/story\/2015\/07\/go-ahead-be-sarcastic\/","title":{"rendered":"Go ahead, be sarcastic"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\t\n\t
\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tScience & Tech\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\n\t\t

\n\t\tGo ahead, be sarcastic\t<\/h1>\n\n\t\n\t\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\tChristina Pazzanese\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t

\n\t\t\tHarvard Staff Writer\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/address>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t

\n\t\t\tResearch uncovers creative benefits \u2014 yes, benefits \u2014 in using sarcasm when people trust each other\t\t<\/h2>\n\t\t\n<\/header>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\t\t

\u201cBlack Man Given Nation\u2019s Worst Job<\/a>.\u201d That was how The Onion famously announced Barack Obama\u2019s election as president in 2008.<\/p>\n

Rather than a feel-good story trumpeting the historic occasion, the satirical publication sarcastically detailed the economic and political mess Obama would inherit (and be expected to mop up) from his first day in office. It was an unexpected and cheeky inversion of the day\u2019s events played for laughs, that also highlighted the sobering reality the nation still faced even after the momentary celebration was over. Implicit, too, was the worry that the ascendancy of an African-American man to a previously unattainable position of global power might turn out to be a hollow victory.<\/p>\n

Despite being the lingua franca<\/em> of the Internet, sarcasm isn\u2019t known as a sophisticated form of wit or a conversational style that wins friends. From the Greek and Latin for \u201cto tear flesh,\u201d sarcasm has been called \u201chostility disguised as humor,\u201d the contempt-laden speech favored by smart alecks and mean girls that\u2019s best to avoid.<\/p>\n

But new research<\/a> by Francesca Gino<\/a> of Harvard Business School<\/a>, Adam Galinsky<\/a>, the Vikram S. Pandit Professor of Business at Columbia Business School, and Li Huang<\/a> of INSEAD, the European business school, finds that sarcasm is far more nuanced, and actually offers some important, overlooked psychological and organizational benefits.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo create or decode sarcasm, both the expressers and recipients of sarcasm need to overcome the contradiction (i.e., psychological distance) between the literal and actual meanings of the sarcastic expressions. This is a process that activates and is facilitated by abstraction, which in turn promotes creative thinking,\u201d said Gino via email.<\/p>\n

While practitioners of sarcasm have long believed intuitively that the \u201cmental gymnastics\u201d it requires indicate \u201csuperior cognitive processes\u201d at work, the authors say, it hasn\u2019t been clear until now in which direction the causal link flowed, or that sarcasm boosted creativity in those receiving it, not just those dishing it out.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot only did we demonstrate the causal effect of expressing sarcasm on creativity and explore the relational cost sarcasm expressers and recipients have to endure, we also demonstrated, for the first time, the cognitive benefit sarcasm recipients could reap. Additionally, for the first time, our research proposed and has shown that to minimize the relational cost while still benefiting creatively, sarcasm is better used between people who have a trusting relationship,\u201d said Gino.<\/p>\n

In a series of studies, participants were randomly assigned to conditions labeled sarcastic, sincere, or neutral. As part of a simulated conversation task, they then expressed something sarcastic or sincere, received a sarcastic or sincere reply, or had a neutral exchange.<\/p>\n

\u201cThose in the sarcasm conditions subsequently performed better on creativity tasks than those in the sincere conditions or the control condition. This suggests that sarcasm has the potential to catalyze creativity in everyone,\u201d said Galinsky via email. \u201cThat being said, although not the focus of our research, it is possible that naturally creative people are also more likely to use sarcasm, making it an outcome instead of [a] cause in this relationship.\u201d<\/p>\n\n

Of course, using sarcasm at work or in social situations is not without risk. It\u2019s a communication style that can easily lead to misunderstanding and confusion or, if it\u2019s especially harsh, bruised egos or acrimony. But if those engaged in sarcasm have developed mutual trust, there\u2019s less chance for hurt feelings, the researchers found, and even if conflict arises, it won\u2019t derail the creative gains for either party.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile most previous research seems to suggest that sarcasm is detrimental to effective communication because it is perceived to be more contemptuous than sincerity, we found that, unlike sarcasm between parties who distrust each other, sarcasm between individuals who share a trusting relationship does not generate more contempt than sincerity,\u201d said Galinsky.<\/p>\n

More work needs to be done to better understand how the tone and content of specific kinds of sarcasm \u2014 such as sarcastic criticism, sarcastic compliments, and sarcastic bantering \u2015 affect communication in relationships as well as the cognitive processes of individuals, Huang adds.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe hope our research will inspire organizations and communication coaches to take a renewed look at sarcasm,\u201d said Gino. \u201cInstead of discouraging workplace sarcasm completely as they have been doing, they could help educate individuals about the appropriate circumstances under which sarcasm can be used. By doing so, both the individuals involved in sarcastic conversations and the organizations they belong to would benefit creatively.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Despite sarcasm\u2019s nasty reputation, new research finds that it can boost creativity and problem-solving in the workplace.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":105622744,"featured_media":172407,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"gz_ga_pageviews":31,"gz_ga_lastupdated":"2022-05-16 11:40","document_color_palette":null,"author":"Christina Pazzanese","affiliation":"Harvard Staff Writer","_category_override":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1387],"tags":[2972,8168,13653,15457,21633,30521,33626],"gazette-formats":[],"series":[],"class_list":["post-172405","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-science-technology","tag-adam-galinsky","tag-christina-pazzanese","tag-francesca-gino","tag-harvard-business-school","tag-li-huang","tag-sarcasm","tag-the-onion"],"yoast_head":"\nGo ahead, be sarcastic — Harvard Gazette<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Despite sarcasm\u2019s nasty reputation, new research finds that it can boost creativity and problem-solving in the workplace.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/story\/2015\/07\/go-ahead-be-sarcastic\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Go ahead, be sarcastic — Harvard Gazette\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Despite sarcasm\u2019s nasty reputation, new research finds that it can boost creativity and problem-solving in the workplace.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/story\/2015\/07\/go-ahead-be-sarcastic\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Harvard Gazette\" 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class=\"article-header__meta\">\n\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-post-author\">\n\t\t\t<address class=\"wp-block-post-author__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"author wp-block-post-author__name\">\n\t\tChristina Pazzanese\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p class=\"wp-block-post-author__byline\">\n\t\t\tHarvard Staff Writer\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/address>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t<time class=\"article-header__date\" datetime=\"2015-07-24\">\n\t\t\tJuly 24, 2015\t\t<\/time>\n\n\t\t<span class=\"article-header__reading-time\">\n\t\t\t4 min read\t\t<\/span>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"article-header__subheading wp-block-heading\">\n\t\t\tResearch uncovers creative benefits \u2014 yes, benefits \u2014 in using sarcasm when people trust each other\t\t<\/h2>\n\t\t\n<\/header>\n"},"2":{"blockName":"core\/group","attrs":{"templateLock":false,"metadata":{"name":"Article content"},"align":"wide","layout":{"type":"constrained","justifyContent":"center"},"tagName":"div","lock":[],"className":"","style":[],"backgroundColor":"","textColor":"","gradient":"","fontSize":"","fontFamily":"","borderColor":"","ariaLabel":"","anchor":""},"innerBlocks":[{"blockName":"core\/freeform","attrs":{"content":"","lock":[],"metadata":[]},"innerBlocks":[],"innerHTML":"\n\t\t<p>\u201c<a href=\"http:\/\/www.theonion.com\/article\/black-man-given-nations-worst-job-6439\">Black Man Given Nation\u2019s Worst Job<\/a>.\u201d That was how The Onion famously announced Barack Obama\u2019s election as president in 2008.<\/p>\n<p>Rather than a feel-good story trumpeting the historic occasion, the satirical publication sarcastically detailed the economic and political mess Obama would inherit (and be expected to mop up) from his first day in office. It was an unexpected and cheeky inversion of the day\u2019s events played for laughs, that also highlighted the sobering reality the nation still faced even after the momentary celebration was over. Implicit, too, was the worry that the ascendancy of an African-American man to a previously unattainable position of global power might turn out to be a hollow victory.<\/p>\n<p>Despite being the <em>lingua franca<\/em> of the Internet, sarcasm isn\u2019t known as a sophisticated form of wit or a conversational style that wins friends. From the Greek and Latin for \u201cto tear flesh,\u201d sarcasm has been called \u201chostility disguised as humor,\u201d the contempt-laden speech favored by smart alecks and mean girls that\u2019s best to avoid.<\/p>\n<p>But <a href=\"http:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S074959781500076X\">new research<\/a> by <a href=\"http:\/\/www.hbs.edu\/faculty\/Pages\/profile.aspx?facId=271812\">Francesca Gino<\/a> of <a href=\"http:\/\/www.hbs.edu\">Harvard Business School<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www8.gsb.columbia.edu\/cbs-directory\/detail\/ag2514\">Adam Galinsky<\/a>, the Vikram S. Pandit Professor of Business at Columbia Business School, and <a href=\"https:\/\/scholar.google.com\/citations?hl=en&user=5NF0dBgAAAAJ&view_op=list_works&sortby=pubdate\">Li Huang<\/a> of INSEAD, the European business school, finds that sarcasm is far more nuanced, and actually offers some important, overlooked psychological and organizational benefits.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cTo create or decode sarcasm, both the expressers and recipients of sarcasm need to overcome the contradiction (i.e., psychological distance) between the literal and actual meanings of the sarcastic expressions. This is a process that activates and is facilitated by abstraction, which in turn promotes creative thinking,\u201d said Gino via email.<\/p>\n<p>While practitioners of sarcasm have long believed intuitively that the \u201cmental gymnastics\u201d it requires indicate \u201csuperior cognitive processes\u201d at work, the authors say, it hasn\u2019t been clear until now in which direction the causal link flowed, or that sarcasm boosted creativity in those receiving it, not just those dishing it out.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNot only did we demonstrate the causal effect of expressing sarcasm on creativity and explore the relational cost sarcasm expressers and recipients have to endure, we also demonstrated, for the first time, the cognitive benefit sarcasm recipients could reap. Additionally, for the first time, our research proposed and has shown that to minimize the relational cost while still benefiting creatively, sarcasm is better used between people who have a trusting relationship,\u201d said Gino.<\/p>\n<p>In a series of studies, participants were randomly assigned to conditions labeled sarcastic, sincere, or neutral. As part of a simulated conversation task, they then expressed something sarcastic or sincere, received a sarcastic or sincere reply, or had a neutral exchange.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThose in the sarcasm conditions subsequently performed better on creativity tasks than those in the sincere conditions or the control condition. This suggests that sarcasm has the potential to catalyze creativity in everyone,\u201d said Galinsky via email. \u201cThat being said, although not the focus of our research, it is possible that naturally creative people are also more likely to use sarcasm, making it an outcome instead of [a] cause in this relationship.\u201d<\/p>\n\n<p>Of course, using sarcasm at work or in social situations is not without risk. It\u2019s a communication style that can easily lead to misunderstanding and confusion or, if it\u2019s especially harsh, bruised egos or acrimony. But if those engaged in sarcasm have developed mutual trust, there\u2019s less chance for hurt feelings, the researchers found, and even if conflict arises, it won\u2019t derail the creative gains for either party.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhile most previous research seems to suggest that sarcasm is detrimental to effective communication because it is perceived to be more contemptuous than sincerity, we found that, unlike sarcasm between parties who distrust each other, sarcasm between individuals who share a trusting relationship does not generate more contempt than sincerity,\u201d said Galinsky.<\/p>\n<p>More work needs to be done to better understand how the tone and content of specific kinds of sarcasm \u2014 such as sarcastic criticism, sarcastic compliments, and sarcastic bantering \u2015 affect communication in relationships as well as the cognitive processes of individuals, Huang adds.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe hope our research will inspire organizations and communication coaches to take a renewed look at sarcasm,\u201d said Gino. \u201cInstead of discouraging workplace sarcasm completely as they have been doing, they could help educate individuals about the appropriate circumstances under which sarcasm can be used. By doing so, both the individuals involved in sarcastic conversations and the organizations they belong to would benefit creatively.\u201d<\/p>\n","innerContent":["\n\t\t<p>\u201c<a href=\"http:\/\/www.theonion.com\/article\/black-man-given-nations-worst-job-6439\">Black Man Given Nation\u2019s Worst Job<\/a>.\u201d That was how The Onion famously announced Barack Obama\u2019s election as president in 2008.<\/p>\n<p>Rather than a feel-good story trumpeting the historic occasion, the satirical publication sarcastically detailed the economic and political mess Obama would inherit (and be expected to mop up) from his first day in office. It was an unexpected and cheeky inversion of the day\u2019s events played for laughs, that also highlighted the sobering reality the nation still faced even after the momentary celebration was over. Implicit, too, was the worry that the ascendancy of an African-American man to a previously unattainable position of global power might turn out to be a hollow victory.<\/p>\n<p>Despite being the <em>lingua franca<\/em> of the Internet, sarcasm isn\u2019t known as a sophisticated form of wit or a conversational style that wins friends. From the Greek and Latin for \u201cto tear flesh,\u201d sarcasm has been called \u201chostility disguised as humor,\u201d the contempt-laden speech favored by smart alecks and mean girls that\u2019s best to avoid.<\/p>\n<p>But <a href=\"http:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S074959781500076X\">new research<\/a> by <a href=\"http:\/\/www.hbs.edu\/faculty\/Pages\/profile.aspx?facId=271812\">Francesca Gino<\/a> of <a href=\"http:\/\/www.hbs.edu\">Harvard Business School<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www8.gsb.columbia.edu\/cbs-directory\/detail\/ag2514\">Adam Galinsky<\/a>, the Vikram S. Pandit Professor of Business at Columbia Business School, and <a href=\"https:\/\/scholar.google.com\/citations?hl=en&user=5NF0dBgAAAAJ&view_op=list_works&sortby=pubdate\">Li Huang<\/a> of INSEAD, the European business school, finds that sarcasm is far more nuanced, and actually offers some important, overlooked psychological and organizational benefits.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cTo create or decode sarcasm, both the expressers and recipients of sarcasm need to overcome the contradiction (i.e., psychological distance) between the literal and actual meanings of the sarcastic expressions. This is a process that activates and is facilitated by abstraction, which in turn promotes creative thinking,\u201d said Gino via email.<\/p>\n<p>While practitioners of sarcasm have long believed intuitively that the \u201cmental gymnastics\u201d it requires indicate \u201csuperior cognitive processes\u201d at work, the authors say, it hasn\u2019t been clear until now in which direction the causal link flowed, or that sarcasm boosted creativity in those receiving it, not just those dishing it out.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNot only did we demonstrate the causal effect of expressing sarcasm on creativity and explore the relational cost sarcasm expressers and recipients have to endure, we also demonstrated, for the first time, the cognitive benefit sarcasm recipients could reap. Additionally, for the first time, our research proposed and has shown that to minimize the relational cost while still benefiting creatively, sarcasm is better used between people who have a trusting relationship,\u201d said Gino.<\/p>\n<p>In a series of studies, participants were randomly assigned to conditions labeled sarcastic, sincere, or neutral. As part of a simulated conversation task, they then expressed something sarcastic or sincere, received a sarcastic or sincere reply, or had a neutral exchange.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThose in the sarcasm conditions subsequently performed better on creativity tasks than those in the sincere conditions or the control condition. This suggests that sarcasm has the potential to catalyze creativity in everyone,\u201d said Galinsky via email. \u201cThat being said, although not the focus of our research, it is possible that naturally creative people are also more likely to use sarcasm, making it an outcome instead of [a] cause in this relationship.\u201d<\/p>\n\n<p>Of course, using sarcasm at work or in social situations is not without risk. It\u2019s a communication style that can easily lead to misunderstanding and confusion or, if it\u2019s especially harsh, bruised egos or acrimony. But if those engaged in sarcasm have developed mutual trust, there\u2019s less chance for hurt feelings, the researchers found, and even if conflict arises, it won\u2019t derail the creative gains for either party.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhile most previous research seems to suggest that sarcasm is detrimental to effective communication because it is perceived to be more contemptuous than sincerity, we found that, unlike sarcasm between parties who distrust each other, sarcasm between individuals who share a trusting relationship does not generate more contempt than sincerity,\u201d said Galinsky.<\/p>\n<p>More work needs to be done to better understand how the tone and content of specific kinds of sarcasm \u2014 such as sarcastic criticism, sarcastic compliments, and sarcastic bantering \u2015 affect communication in relationships as well as the cognitive processes of individuals, Huang adds.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe hope our research will inspire organizations and communication coaches to take a renewed look at sarcasm,\u201d said Gino. \u201cInstead of discouraging workplace sarcasm completely as they have been doing, they could help educate individuals about the appropriate circumstances under which sarcasm can be used. By doing so, both the individuals involved in sarcastic conversations and the organizations they belong to would benefit creatively.\u201d<\/p>\n"],"rendered":"\n\t\t<p>\u201c<a href=\"http:\/\/www.theonion.com\/article\/black-man-given-nations-worst-job-6439\">Black Man Given Nation\u2019s Worst Job<\/a>.\u201d That was how The Onion famously announced Barack Obama\u2019s election as president in 2008.<\/p>\n<p>Rather than a feel-good story trumpeting the historic occasion, the satirical publication sarcastically detailed the economic and political mess Obama would inherit (and be expected to mop up) from his first day in office. It was an unexpected and cheeky inversion of the day\u2019s events played for laughs, that also highlighted the sobering reality the nation still faced even after the momentary celebration was over. Implicit, too, was the worry that the ascendancy of an African-American man to a previously unattainable position of global power might turn out to be a hollow victory.<\/p>\n<p>Despite being the <em>lingua franca<\/em> of the Internet, sarcasm isn\u2019t known as a sophisticated form of wit or a conversational style that wins friends. From the Greek and Latin for \u201cto tear flesh,\u201d sarcasm has been called \u201chostility disguised as humor,\u201d the contempt-laden speech favored by smart alecks and mean girls that\u2019s best to avoid.<\/p>\n<p>But <a href=\"http:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S074959781500076X\">new research<\/a> by <a href=\"http:\/\/www.hbs.edu\/faculty\/Pages\/profile.aspx?facId=271812\">Francesca Gino<\/a> of <a href=\"http:\/\/www.hbs.edu\">Harvard Business School<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www8.gsb.columbia.edu\/cbs-directory\/detail\/ag2514\">Adam Galinsky<\/a>, the Vikram S. Pandit Professor of Business at Columbia Business School, and <a href=\"https:\/\/scholar.google.com\/citations?hl=en&user=5NF0dBgAAAAJ&view_op=list_works&sortby=pubdate\">Li Huang<\/a> of INSEAD, the European business school, finds that sarcasm is far more nuanced, and actually offers some important, overlooked psychological and organizational benefits.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cTo create or decode sarcasm, both the expressers and recipients of sarcasm need to overcome the contradiction (i.e., psychological distance) between the literal and actual meanings of the sarcastic expressions. This is a process that activates and is facilitated by abstraction, which in turn promotes creative thinking,\u201d said Gino via email.<\/p>\n<p>While practitioners of sarcasm have long believed intuitively that the \u201cmental gymnastics\u201d it requires indicate \u201csuperior cognitive processes\u201d at work, the authors say, it hasn\u2019t been clear until now in which direction the causal link flowed, or that sarcasm boosted creativity in those receiving it, not just those dishing it out.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNot only did we demonstrate the causal effect of expressing sarcasm on creativity and explore the relational cost sarcasm expressers and recipients have to endure, we also demonstrated, for the first time, the cognitive benefit sarcasm recipients could reap. Additionally, for the first time, our research proposed and has shown that to minimize the relational cost while still benefiting creatively, sarcasm is better used between people who have a trusting relationship,\u201d said Gino.<\/p>\n<p>In a series of studies, participants were randomly assigned to conditions labeled sarcastic, sincere, or neutral. As part of a simulated conversation task, they then expressed something sarcastic or sincere, received a sarcastic or sincere reply, or had a neutral exchange.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThose in the sarcasm conditions subsequently performed better on creativity tasks than those in the sincere conditions or the control condition. This suggests that sarcasm has the potential to catalyze creativity in everyone,\u201d said Galinsky via email. \u201cThat being said, although not the focus of our research, it is possible that naturally creative people are also more likely to use sarcasm, making it an outcome instead of [a] cause in this relationship.\u201d<\/p>\n\n<p>Of course, using sarcasm at work or in social situations is not without risk. It\u2019s a communication style that can easily lead to misunderstanding and confusion or, if it\u2019s especially harsh, bruised egos or acrimony. But if those engaged in sarcasm have developed mutual trust, there\u2019s less chance for hurt feelings, the researchers found, and even if conflict arises, it won\u2019t derail the creative gains for either party.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhile most previous research seems to suggest that sarcasm is detrimental to effective communication because it is perceived to be more contemptuous than sincerity, we found that, unlike sarcasm between parties who distrust each other, sarcasm between individuals who share a trusting relationship does not generate more contempt than sincerity,\u201d said Galinsky.<\/p>\n<p>More work needs to be done to better understand how the tone and content of specific kinds of sarcasm \u2014 such as sarcastic criticism, sarcastic compliments, and sarcastic bantering \u2015 affect communication in relationships as well as the cognitive processes of individuals, Huang adds.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe hope our research will inspire organizations and communication coaches to take a renewed look at sarcasm,\u201d said Gino. \u201cInstead of discouraging workplace sarcasm completely as they have been doing, they could help educate individuals about the appropriate circumstances under which sarcasm can be used. By doing so, both the individuals involved in sarcastic conversations and the organizations they belong to would benefit creatively.\u201d<\/p>\n"}],"innerHTML":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignwide\">\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n","innerContent":["\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignwide\">\n\n","\n\n<\/div>\n"],"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignwide has-global-padding is-content-justification-center is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n\n\n\t\t<p>\u201c<a href=\"http:\/\/www.theonion.com\/article\/black-man-given-nations-worst-job-6439\">Black Man Given Nation\u2019s Worst Job<\/a>.\u201d That was how The Onion famously announced Barack Obama\u2019s election as president in 2008.<\/p>\n<p>Rather than a feel-good story trumpeting the historic occasion, the satirical publication sarcastically detailed the economic and political mess Obama would inherit (and be expected to mop up) from his first day in office. It was an unexpected and cheeky inversion of the day\u2019s events played for laughs, that also highlighted the sobering reality the nation still faced even after the momentary celebration was over. Implicit, too, was the worry that the ascendancy of an African-American man to a previously unattainable position of global power might turn out to be a hollow victory.<\/p>\n<p>Despite being the <em>lingua franca<\/em> of the Internet, sarcasm isn\u2019t known as a sophisticated form of wit or a conversational style that wins friends. From the Greek and Latin for \u201cto tear flesh,\u201d sarcasm has been called \u201chostility disguised as humor,\u201d the contempt-laden speech favored by smart alecks and mean girls that\u2019s best to avoid.<\/p>\n<p>But <a href=\"http:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S074959781500076X\">new research<\/a> by <a href=\"http:\/\/www.hbs.edu\/faculty\/Pages\/profile.aspx?facId=271812\">Francesca Gino<\/a> of <a href=\"http:\/\/www.hbs.edu\">Harvard Business School<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www8.gsb.columbia.edu\/cbs-directory\/detail\/ag2514\">Adam Galinsky<\/a>, the Vikram S. Pandit Professor of Business at Columbia Business School, and <a href=\"https:\/\/scholar.google.com\/citations?hl=en&user=5NF0dBgAAAAJ&view_op=list_works&sortby=pubdate\">Li Huang<\/a> of INSEAD, the European business school, finds that sarcasm is far more nuanced, and actually offers some important, overlooked psychological and organizational benefits.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cTo create or decode sarcasm, both the expressers and recipients of sarcasm need to overcome the contradiction (i.e., psychological distance) between the literal and actual meanings of the sarcastic expressions. This is a process that activates and is facilitated by abstraction, which in turn promotes creative thinking,\u201d said Gino via email.<\/p>\n<p>While practitioners of sarcasm have long believed intuitively that the \u201cmental gymnastics\u201d it requires indicate \u201csuperior cognitive processes\u201d at work, the authors say, it hasn\u2019t been clear until now in which direction the causal link flowed, or that sarcasm boosted creativity in those receiving it, not just those dishing it out.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNot only did we demonstrate the causal effect of expressing sarcasm on creativity and explore the relational cost sarcasm expressers and recipients have to endure, we also demonstrated, for the first time, the cognitive benefit sarcasm recipients could reap. Additionally, for the first time, our research proposed and has shown that to minimize the relational cost while still benefiting creatively, sarcasm is better used between people who have a trusting relationship,\u201d said Gino.<\/p>\n<p>In a series of studies, participants were randomly assigned to conditions labeled sarcastic, sincere, or neutral. As part of a simulated conversation task, they then expressed something sarcastic or sincere, received a sarcastic or sincere reply, or had a neutral exchange.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThose in the sarcasm conditions subsequently performed better on creativity tasks than those in the sincere conditions or the control condition. This suggests that sarcasm has the potential to catalyze creativity in everyone,\u201d said Galinsky via email. \u201cThat being said, although not the focus of our research, it is possible that naturally creative people are also more likely to use sarcasm, making it an outcome instead of [a] cause in this relationship.\u201d<\/p>\n\n<p>Of course, using sarcasm at work or in social situations is not without risk. It\u2019s a communication style that can easily lead to misunderstanding and confusion or, if it\u2019s especially harsh, bruised egos or acrimony. But if those engaged in sarcasm have developed mutual trust, there\u2019s less chance for hurt feelings, the researchers found, and even if conflict arises, it won\u2019t derail the creative gains for either party.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhile most previous research seems to suggest that sarcasm is detrimental to effective communication because it is perceived to be more contemptuous than sincerity, we found that, unlike sarcasm between parties who distrust each other, sarcasm between individuals who share a trusting relationship does not generate more contempt than sincerity,\u201d said Galinsky.<\/p>\n<p>More work needs to be done to better understand how the tone and content of specific kinds of sarcasm \u2014 such as sarcastic criticism, sarcastic compliments, and sarcastic bantering \u2015 affect communication in relationships as well as the cognitive processes of individuals, Huang adds.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe hope our research will inspire organizations and communication coaches to take a renewed look at sarcasm,\u201d said Gino. \u201cInstead of discouraging workplace sarcasm completely as they have been doing, they could help educate individuals about the appropriate circumstances under which sarcasm can be used. By doing so, both the individuals involved in sarcastic conversations and the organizations they belong to would benefit creatively.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n"}},"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":411108,"url":"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/story\/2025\/06\/onion-holds-up-mirror-society-flashes-big-smile-with-green-stuff-in-teeth\/","url_meta":{"origin":172405,"position":0},"title":"Onion holds up mirror; society flashes big smile (with green stuff in teeth)","author":"Liz Mineo","date":"June 17, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"How some students at University of Wisconsin-Madison created satiric cultural institution","rel":"","context":"In "Nation & World"","block_context":{"text":"Nation & World","link":"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/section\/nation-world\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Christine Wenc","src":"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Untitled-design-18-copy.png?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Untitled-design-18-copy.png?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Untitled-design-18-copy.png?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Untitled-design-18-copy.png?resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":200881,"url":"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/story\/2006\/10\/from-the-sublime-to-the-ridiculusmus\/","url_meta":{"origin":172405,"position":1},"title":"From the sublime to the Ridiculusmus","author":"gazetteimport","date":"October 5, 2006","format":false,"excerpt":"Until Oct. 7, Harvard faculty and staff may purchase a subscription for the 2006-07 season at half the regular price when they select all eight productions. For each production, Harvard faculty and staff may purchase tickets for any performance during the first week of the run at half the regular\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Campus & Community"","block_context":{"text":"Campus & Community","link":"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/section\/campus-community\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":144272,"url":"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/story\/2013\/08\/loeb-house-garden-the-colorful-blooms-of-elizabeth-gray\/","url_meta":{"origin":172405,"position":2},"title":"Loeb House garden: Colorful blooms of Elizabeth Gray","author":"harvardgazette","date":"August 13, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Elizabeth Gray, senior associate secretary to the University, has tended the Loeb House garden in Harvard Yard since 1985.","rel":"","context":"In "Campus & Community"","block_context":{"text":"Campus & Community","link":"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/section\/campus-community\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/100308_feature_jc_122_605.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/100308_feature_jc_122_605.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/100308_feature_jc_122_605.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":53562,"url":"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/story\/2000\/02\/why-onions-have-more-dna-than-you-do\/","url_meta":{"origin":172405,"position":3},"title":"Why Onions Have More DNA Than You Do","author":"gazetteimport","date":"February 10, 2000","format":false,"excerpt":"Dmitri Petrov examines fruit flies as part of experiments to learn why simple creatures such as amoebas sometimes have more genetic material than complex organisms like college professors. Photo by Jon Chase. A raspberry has only 8 percent as much genetic material as you or me. That's expected; raspberries aren't\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Campus & Community"","block_context":{"text":"Campus & Community","link":"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/section\/campus-community\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":415133,"url":"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/story\/2025\/10\/a-hopeful-dystopia-simple-recipe-and-circuitous-reunion\/","url_meta":{"origin":172405,"position":4},"title":"A hopeful dystopia, simple recipe, and \u2018circuitous reunion\u2019","author":"Sydney Boles","date":"October 2, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Professor of Afro-Latin American history recommends sights, tastes, and sounds of Argentina","rel":"","context":"In "Campus & Community"","block_context":{"text":"Campus & Community","link":"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/section\/campus-community\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"gas mask, carrots, guitar","src":"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/httpsnews.harvard.edugazettep414785previewtrue_thumbnail_id415176-copy.png?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/httpsnews.harvard.edugazettep414785previewtrue_thumbnail_id415176-copy.png?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/httpsnews.harvard.edugazettep414785previewtrue_thumbnail_id415176-copy.png?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/httpsnews.harvard.edugazettep414785previewtrue_thumbnail_id415176-copy.png?resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":96397,"url":"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/story\/2011\/11\/actually-the-stars-a-turkey\/","url_meta":{"origin":172405,"position":5},"title":"Actually, the star\u2019s a turkey","author":"harvardgazette","date":"November 19, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Visiting Professor Pamela Diggle took listeners into the botanical roots of Thanksgiving dinner, illustrating how nature\u2019s everyday trials forced plants to come up with unusual \u2014 and delicious \u2014 ways to survive.","rel":"","context":"In "Health"","block_context":{"text":"Health","link":"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/section\/health\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/11\/turkeu_diggle_605.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/11\/turkeu_diggle_605.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/11\/turkeu_diggle_605.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/172405","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/105622744"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=172405"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/172405\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/172407"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=172405"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=172405"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=172405"},{"taxonomy":"format","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/gazette-formats?post=172405"},{"taxonomy":"series","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/series?post=172405"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}