The brain can be tricked by an information overload or something very odd or off-the-wall. Humor is a way to allow the first defense down. It starts a habit of acceptance of ridiculous knowledge.
Bypassing the dominant hemisphere’s rational judgment (“critical factor”)
Since the conscious mind is not even aware of the messages being sent, conscious scrutiny and resistance are eliminated.
The critical factor is the part of the mind that logically analyzes and scrutinizes all information like a filter, and decides what information is allowed to pass into your subconscious mind and become part of what your mind accepts as unquestionably true, like your deepest and most powerful emotions, drives, and instincts. It is the primary cognitive defense that usually stops all information and rationally analyzes it, whether consciously or unconsciously.
It keeps your computer-like subconscious mind from literally believing that you are a chicken when someone calls you a “chicken”, and keeps you from literally believing that you are a square (box) when somebody calls you a “square”, and keeps you from literally believing you are a (snow or cereal) flake when somebody calls you a “flake.” you don’t consciously ponder it when someone calls you a chicken, your critical factor stops that information below the level of awareness.