When It Pays to Be Insincere: On the Benefits of Verbal Irony

Verbal irony is pervasive in social interaction, presumably because it can be used to achieve a number of communicative goals and effects. In general, verbal irony has a reputation for having negative effects, but in this article we present evidence for the cognitive, social, and emotional benefits of verbal irony and demonstrate the potential of this form of language to provide crucial psychological insights. The power of irony lies in its ability to create meaning that is in conflict with the literal meaning-thus altering our understanding of it and by doing so enhancing cognition, mediating emotions, or shaping social relationships.

Automated summary

Verbal irony is pervasive in social interaction and can achieve a variety of communicative goals and effects. Contrary to its negative reputation, this article presents evidence for the cognitive, social, and emotional benefits of verbal irony and highlights its potential to provide crucial psychological insights. The power of irony lies in its ability to create meaning that conflicts with the literal meaning, thereby enhancing cognition, mediating emotions, and shaping social relationships.