THE ROLE OF PHRASEOLOGY IN HUMOR STYLES USED BY ADOLESCENTS WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER

Abstract

The main objective of this research is to investigate the use of phraseological units (PhU) produced in humorous stories written by adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). For this purpose, we consider the humorous situations belonging to the humor styles described by Martin et alii (2003). It has been pointed out that phraseology in humorous narratives written by neurotypical minors is an indicator of humor (Timofeeva-Timoveer & Ruiz-Gurillo, 2021; Merino González, 2023a). However, in this research we intend to go further and observe the function of these units in writers with ASD. Therefore, we seek to examine possible differences with respect to the results of the study with neurotypical adolescents (Merino González, 2023a). In the analyzed stories we document PhU imbricated in self-defeating, self-enhancing and, especially, aggressive humorous styles. Likewise, the ingenuity of our participants is reflected in the variety of function, the creative use of PhU, the use of phraseologisms not only as indicators (Merino González, 2023a;b), but also as markers of humor, and the inversion of roles in aggressive humorous situations. These results, on the one hand, contrast with the difficulties attributed to their condition (ASD) and, on the other hand, with the study in neurotypical participants (Merino González, 2023a). Ultimately, although adolescents with ASD sometimes exhibit a degree of disorganization in their exposure (product of the executive function), they easily include figurative units in invented humorous contexts. In addition, in these situations they resort to internal states and present a context conducive to unleash humorous effects through phraseologisms.