What is the difference between irony and sarcasm? An fMRI study

Filik, Ruth; ?urcan, Alexandra; Ralph-Nearman, Christina; Pitiot, Alain

Abstract

Verbal irony is a figure of speech that communicates the opposite of what is said, while sarcasm is a form of irony that is directed at a person, with the intent to criticise. The current study used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) with the aim of mapping the neural networks involved in the processing of sarcastic and non-sarcastic irony. Participants read short texts describing an interaction between two characters, which ended in either a literal, sarcastic, or non-sarcastic ironic comment. Results showed that the mentalising network (mPFC) and semantic network (IFG) were more activated for non-sarcastic irony than for literal controls. This would suggest that interpreting this kind of language involves understanding that the speaker does not mean what they literally say, as well as processes involved in conflict detection and resolution. Sarcastic irony recruited more of the semantic network, as well as areas associated with humour appreciation and subcortical structures, indicating that more complex neural mechanisms underlie the comprehension of sarcastic versus non-sarcastic irony.

Citation

Filik, R., ?urcan, A., Ralph-Nearman, C., & Pitiot, A. (2019). What is the difference between irony and sarcasm? An fMRI study. Cortex, 115, 112-122. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cortex.2019.01.025

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jan 22, 2019
• Online Publication Date: Feb 7, 2019
• Publication Date: 2019-06
• Deposit Date: Feb 5, 2019
• Publicly Available Date: Feb 8, 2020
• Journal: Cortex
• Print ISSN: 0010-9452
• Electronic ISSN: 1973-8102
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 115
• Pages: 112-122
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cortex.2019.01.025
• Keywords: Experimental and Cognitive Psychology; Cognitive Neuroscience; Neuropsychology and Physiological Psychology
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1520559
• Publisher URL: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0010945219300450
• Additional Information: This article is maintained by: Elsevier; Article Title: What is the difference between irony and sarcasm? An fMRI study; Journal Title: Cortex; CrossRef DOI link to publisher maintained version: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cortex.2019.01.025; Content Type: article; Copyright: © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.