Practical joke

A practical joke is a prank that tricks or surprises someone for amusement, usually without causing serious harm.

Misdirection: Misdirection guides attention away from relevant information toward something less important. A prankster hides the setup by directing attention toward an innocent detail.
Whoopee cushion: A whoopee cushion is an inflatable novelty that emits a fart-like sound when compressed. Its concealed sound turns an ordinary act of sitting into a brief surprise.
Hoax: A hoax is a deliberate deception presented as genuine, often to mislead an audience. Unlike a practical joke, a hoax may aim to persuade rather than amuse its target.
Consent: Consent is voluntary agreement to an action or arrangement, given with adequate understanding. A target’s willingness to participate helps distinguish shared play from imposed humiliation.
Play (activity): Play is voluntary activity pursued for enjoyment, exploration, or social interaction rather than immediate practical gain. Practical jokes borrow play’s freedom while testing how far a target shares the frame.
Surprise: Surprise is an emotional response to an unexpected event. The sudden gap between expectation and outcome produces the prank’s immediate effect.
Joy buzzer: A joy buzzer is a concealed vibrating device worn in the palm for a startling handshake. The handshake setup makes an unexpected sensation the joke’s reveal.
Bullying: Bullying is repeated aggressive behavior involving a power imbalance and intent to harm or intimidate. A prank becomes abusive when it targets someone for humiliation or distress.
Humiliation: Humiliation is the painful experience of being degraded or made to feel ashamed before others. A prank can cause lasting harm when its reveal exposes someone to ridicule.
Benign violation theory: Benign violation theory holds that humor arises when something seems wrong yet also safe or acceptable. It explains why a surprise can amuse only when the apparent violation feels harmless.

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