It is often said to be the lowest form of wit, but now new research indicates sarcasm becomes beneath us as we age.
Aberdeen University researchers have found that sarcasm is lost on the older generation.
The study indicated adults over 65 are more likely to misinterpret sarcasm and take the literal meaning, rather than the intended jibe.
A recent study carried out by researchers at Aberdeen University explored how different generations interpreted sarcasm in conversations and found that young to middle-aged adults were significantly better than their older counterparts.
The team reasoned that whilst the difference could not be explained by misunderstandings or memory difficulties, it might be caused by having a more positive outlook on life.
Professor Louise Phillips, chair of psychology and leader of the team, said: “Losing the ability to respond appropriately to sarcasm might affect our relationships and friendships as we age.
“Until now, no one has looked at how older adults interpret sarcasm, and specifically, if they can flip the literal meaning to understand the intended meaning. So, we are interested in finding out how whether our ability to understand other people’s intentions changes as we age.
“We found that older people were worse at detecting sarcasm and more likely to take a literal meaning than both younger and middle aged adults. This difference could not be explained by misunderstanding the conversation or memory difficulties.
“Older adults are known to have a more positive outlook on life than younger adults and this may contribute to their failure to pick up on sarcastic undertones.”