abstractSatire is a subtle type of figurative discourse and is still relatively under-studied from the perspective of figurative language researchers. The purpose of this study is to investigate cognitive, demographic, and pragmatic factors previously suggested to influence satire processing and comprehension but which have yet to be studied using behavioral methods. Specifically, this study examines Need for Cognition (NFC; the desire to engage in cognitively difficult tasks), general knowledge, demographic measures such as language background, and affective perceptions of humor, sincerity, and positivity. Sixty-one participants (32 non-native English speakers) read satirical and non-satirical news reports taken from The Onion and Science Daily, respectively, both published in the United States. Perceptions of sincerity, humor, and positivity, reading times, and written interpretations of the intended meaning for each text were recorded. Results from statistical analyses suggested NFC significantly influenced satirical text reading times. Moreover, language background and perceptions of sincerity significantly influenced satire comprehension. These results highlight an interplay between individual differences during satire processing and comprehension, and work to validate some, but not all, theoretical predictions for satire processing and comprehension.

中文翻译：

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调查讽刺话语的处理和理解：认知、人口统计和语用特征的作用

摘要讽刺是一种微妙的比喻话语，从比喻语言研究人员的角度来看，它的研究仍然相对不足。本研究的目的是调查认知、人口统计和语用因素，这些因素以前被认为会影响讽刺处理和理解，但尚未使用行为方法进行研究。具体而言，本研究考察了认知需求（NFC；参与认知困难任务的愿望）、一般知识、语言背景等人口统计指标，以及对幽默、真诚和积极性的情感感知。61 名参与者（32 名非英语母语人士）阅读讽刺性和非讽刺性新闻报道，取自洋葱和科学日报，分别在美国出版。记录对每个文本的真诚、幽默和积极性、阅读时间和预期含义的书面解释的看法。统计分析结果表明，NFC 显着影响讽刺文本的阅读时间。此外，语言背景和对真诚的看法显着影响讽刺理解。这些结果突出了讽刺处理和理解过程中个体差异之间的相互作用，并努力验证讽刺处理和理解的一些但不是全部的理论预测。