Humor appreciation as social communication.

Abstract

An examination of past theorizing and research suggests that the role of humor in interpersonal interaction needs reconsideration. It was hypothesized that one of the functions of humor is its role in providing a means of communication between individuals. Sixty male undergraduate subjects were given cartoons to rate by an attractive female experimenter. It was hypothesized that where possible, male subjects would use appreciation of sexual humor as a means of communicating sexual interest in the female experimenter. Since motivation arousal has also been reported to affect humor preferences, a 2 X 2 design was employed to permit independent evaluation of the arousal variable and the communication variable. Both independent variables were found to be effective, with communication the more potent one. Further implications of the social communication hypothesis are suggested.

Is Sexual Humor Sexist?

“…T h e potent communicative function of humor is perhaps illustrated most strikingly in social psychological studies employing sexual humor. Male undergraduates have been shown to rate sexual humor as more funny when a female experimenter is "sexily" dressed and flirtatious than when, in manner and dress, the same experimenter is proper, polite, and formal (6). In groups, the laughter of male students is augmented or almost totally suppressed depending on the responses of a single female (30).…”

Misattribution and humor appreciation: A comment on "Enhancement of humor appreciation by transferred excitation."

“…The research testing this hypothesis typically involves the experimental arousal of drive (sexual or aggressive) and the measurement of the subject's subsequent appreciation of motiverelevant humor. Studies by Davis and Farina (1970), Dworkin and Efran (1967), Lamb (1968), and Strickland (1959), among others, have reported support for the psychodynamic hypothesis.…”

The effects of relationship context and modality on ratings of funniness

“…At every stage of life, humour is useful in not only initiating relationships but in maintaining them. The challenge of understanding humour has been ongoing since Aristotle first wrote of comedy as "dramatizing the ludicrous" (Aristotle 335 BCE/2013;Davis & Farina, 1970),…”