Dr Michelle Dickinson: nanotechnologist on the developmental benefits of dad jokes

This week we are talking dad jokes: 

“What do you call cheese that isn't yours? Nacho cheese.” 

“Dad, did you get a haircut?’. 'No, I got them all cut!” 

“Why did the orange stop halfway up the hill? It ran out of juice.” 

The good old ‘dad joke’, defined as a wholesome joke of the type said to be told by fathers that has a punchline that is an obvious or predictable pun or play on words. 

Whether you roll your eyes or laugh at them, dad jokes have been found to  serve an important function in the development of children according to a new article in the British Psychological Society.

By striking at their children’s egos and emotions in a teasing way, dad jokes were found to help to build up a child’s resilience by getting them used to minor attacks and negative emotions in a safe space without them getting worked up.  

By continually telling their children jokes that are so bad that they’re embarrassing, fathers may push their children's limits for how much embarrassment they can handle. 

These experiences helped to teach the child impulse control and emotional regulation by letting them feel embarrassment and showing them that it isn’t that bad. 

While dad jokes don’t have to be told by dads, research shows that dads tend to be more vigorous and challenging in their play as well as joke more with their children when compared to mothers. 

The best time for dad jokes is when children are approaching adolescence, as during this phase they appear to be more prone to embarrassment, especially when it comes to their parents. Dads can exploit this phase and help toughen their children up by telling them jokes that are so unfunny they are embarrassing. 

So the next time you hear a terrible ‘dad joke’ don’t groan at the punchline, instead see it as a powerful pedagogical tool that could have huge benefits to the children rolling their eyes at them. 

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