Humor in context: Fire service and joking culture

Abstract

Although theorizing about humor has occurred for several decades, scant research exists that examines humor in the broad context of human resource development. Humor exists in workplaces and it is historicized in the professional and organizational contexts of workers. This paper explores aspects of a joking culture within the specific work context of fire service. Research methods employed in this study include literature review that is augmented by critical incidents from the author's work history in fire service. Purposes of humor are explored within the context of fire service, and suggestions for further study are provided.

Trajectories of psychological distress among individuals exposed to the 9/11 World Trade Center disaster

“…First-responders often engage in collective coping via formal and informal peer-support (Adams, Anderson, Turner, & Armstrong, 2011 ; Clompus & Albarran, 2016 ; Moran & Roth, 2013 ; Prati, Pietrantoni, & Cicognani, 2011 ). The limited sociodemographic and cultural heterogeneity of WTC first-responders, close collectivist culture of first-responder organizations, and shared traumatic experiences may have afforded a more available and relatable peer support system to the WTC first-responders (Crupi & Brondolo, 2017 ; Freedman, 2004 ).…”

Emotional distress among police academy recruits: Humor and coping

“…Consistent with expected findings, greater levels of use of humor as a coping strategy upon training completion predicted lower levels of emotional distress at the end of the academy among recruits. Possible explanations for this finding may include increases in group cohesion and group connectedness which are often associated with humor, as well as the possibility that humor provides a sense of normalcy and tension reduction in stressful situations (Moran and Roth, 2013; Vivona, 2014). While biomarkers of stress were not within the scope of the available data, it is possible that the benefits of laughter on the physiological stress response system may play a part in reduction of emotional distress among recruits.…”

“…Humor is used as a coping strategy in stressful occupational contexts (Moran and Roth, 2013; Roth and Vivona, 2010). Humor has been conceptualized as an emotional response of mirth in a social context that is elicited by a perception of playful incongruity and is expressed through smiling and laughter (Martin, 2007).…”

“…Burns et al (2008) examined humor among officers who work cases involving crimes against children and found that humor removes toxicity from stressful moments. There is a consensus that the use of humor gives officers a sense of normalcy in the face of stress, reduces tension, and is useful for their emotional survival of the job (Burns et al 2008;Moran and Roth, 2013;Roth and Vivona, 2010;Vivona, 2014). Researchers have also observed jokes among police to be used as an attempt to 'purge the internal obstacles that holds one back from danger' and have compared joking to the use of a bullet proof vest when confronting tragedy (Gayadeen and Phillips, 2016: 51).…”

Donut time: the use of humor across the police work environment

“…Humor, however, provides an acceptable and useful avenue to cope with the observed misfortunes in policing (e.g. murder scenes) (Moran and Roth, 2006;Roth and Vivona, 2010;Vivona, 2014). As Holmes (2007) might posit, humor moderates occupational tension of the officers.…”