Scroll to watch 5-minute episode and further your insight into sarcasm.

1. Face Saving Sarcasm

This refers to moments when you might use sarcasm if you’re feeling at risk of violation or personal put down. In this context, your sarcastic remark served to make you save face. 

2. Embarrassment Diffusion Sarcasm

This is a case where you may have done a great job at something but you’re trying to deflect attention from yourself, by making a sarcastic remark. In this instance, the sarcastic comment reduces the positive outcome you achieved and also “downplays your success.”

Embarrassment diffusion sarcasm is quite similar to self-deprecation and should be avoided in most cases. 

You can learn more about Why Self Deprecation sabotages you.

3. Ironic Complement Sarcasm

Sometimes, when your conversation partner is feeling awkward, let’s just say they just met you, they may use sarcasm as a way to compliment you or add humor. We call this an ironic compliment. Watch out in this context, research shows that younger people are less likely to take ironic compliments well (Ivanko, Pexman & Olinek, 2004), also, if you’re female you’re more likely to read compliments as sarcastic. 

4. Frustration Diffusion Sarcasm

This is the sarcasm that pops out during frustration. Take care, as it can be the prelude to a conflict!

When people are frustrated, they are more at risk of using sarcasm to cope with the annoying things going on around them. I don’t recommend using sarcasm in this instance with others as when stress levels increase, so does cognitive processing.