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In this paper the author presents material confirming her 'hypothesis that in humor, as in masochism, the mechanism is an interaction of ego and superego'. Where
humor has appeared during analysis 'it occurred when the end of the Oedipal period was being worked through'. She comes to the conclusion that a humorous attitude toward life as a character trait is a defense against masochism and sets in when the masochistic reaction threatens to bring about too much pain.
The author feels that 'possibly in the mechanism of humor the ego itself, exclusive of the superego, is split into two parts, the suffering and the liberated child'. This leads her to the conclusion that the 'invulnerability of the ego in the humorous experience, as postulated by Freud, is only partial', and points out that 'when the ego feels itself completely invulnerable it stands alone and there is no humor'. This is the important difference referred to by Freud in comparing the denial of reality in humor, psychosis and ecstasy.
Further observation will be necessary in order to determine whether there are cases in which a humorous attitude exists without underlying masochism.