Absurdist art may arouse uncanny feelings and provoke defensive affirmation

Evidence

The studies presented in this article follow from the meaning maintenance model to address whether absurdist art, literature, and humor may arouse an uncanny feeling and provoke compensatory affirmation efforts. — Travis Proulx, Steven J. Heine, and Kathleen D. Vohs, When Is the Unfamiliar the Uncanny?…, 10

Categorization

• XREF: Directly relevant to the reader’s purpose: whether meaning threat (absurdity) produces the same defensive affirmation as intergroup threat — a general-mechanism test of the meaning maintenance model. — connects to: Absurdist meaning threat should trigger defensive ingroup affirmation like other threats — Travis Proulx, Steven J. Heine, and Kathleen D. Vohs, When Is the Unfamiliar the Uncanny?…, 30; Reading absurdist literature amplifies affirmation of one’s cultural identity. — Travis Proulx, Steven J. Heine, and Kathleen D. Vohs, When Is the Unfamiliar the Uncanny?…, 38; Absurdity is conceptually defined as unfamiliar juxtapositions of familiar elements. — Travis Proulx, Steven J. Heine, and Kathleen D. Vohs, When Is the Unfamiliar the Uncanny?…, 12 (+2 more)

Broader Connections

• Reading absurdist literature amplifies affirmation of one’s cultural identity. #corroborates (0.88) — Travis Proulx, Steven J. Heine, and Kathleen D. Vohs, When Is the Unfamiliar the Uncanny?…, 38