Irony Demands Cognitive Flexibility

Irony, particularly in the context of satire, involves an inversion of meaning where the speaker communicates the opposite of their actual intent. This requires listeners to engage in complex cognitive processing, akin to mental gymnastics, as they discern the speaker's true purposes from the literal words presented. Studies suggest that individuals with a high need for cognition find enjoyment in decoding such ironic messages, viewing them as riddle-solving challenges. Conversely, those with a lower need for cognition struggle with and often dislike the ambiguity inherent in ironic texts.