  This paper proposes that cognitive humor can be modeled using the
mathematical framework of quantum theory. We begin with brief overviews of both
research on humor, and the generalized quantum framework. We show how the
bisociation of incongruous frames or word meanings in jokes can be modeled as a
linear superposition of a set of basis states, or possible interpretations, in
a complex Hilbert space. The choice of possible interpretations depends on the
context provided by the set-up vs. the punchline of a joke. We apply the
approach to a verbal pun, and consider how it might be extended to frame
blending. An initial study of that made use of the Law of Total Probability,
involving 85 participant responses to 35 jokes (as well as variants), suggests
that the Quantum Theory of Humor (QTH) proposed here provides a viable new
approach to modeling humor.
