Dews S, Winner E, Kaplan J, Rosenblatt E, Hunt M, Lim K, McGovern A, Qualter A, Smarsh B
Boston College, USA.
Child Dev. 1996 Dec;67(6):3071-85.
We investigated children's understanding of irony and sensitivity to irony's meanness and humor. In Study 1, 89 participants (5-6-year-olds, 8-9-year-olds, adults) heard ironic and literal criticisms, and literal compliments. Comprehension of irony emerged between 5 and 6 years of age. Ratings of humor increased with age; ratings of meanness did not (showing that all ages perceived irony as more muted than literal criticism). In Study 2, results from 135 participants (6-7-year-olds, 8-9-year-olds, and adults) replicated these findings and revealed the role of form and intonation. Thus, comprehension of irony emerges between 5 and 6 years of age, and sensitivity to the muting function develops prior to sensitivity to the humor function.
我们研究了儿童对反讽的理解以及对反讽的刻薄与幽默的敏感度。在研究1中，89名参与者（5至6岁儿童、8至9岁儿童、成年人）听取了反讽批评、字面批评以及字面赞扬。对反讽的理解在5至6岁之间出现。幽默评分随年龄增长而增加；刻薄评分则不然（表明所有年龄段的人都认为反讽比字面批评的刻薄程度要轻）。在研究2中，135名参与者（6至7岁儿童、8至9岁儿童和成年人）的研究结果重复了这些发现，并揭示了形式和语调的作用。因此，对反讽的理解在5至6岁之间出现，对反讽弱化功能的敏感度在对幽默功能的敏感度之前发展起来。
