S2W5Humo

Question 1

Humour definition

Answer 1

Social phenomenon (rarely laugh alone).

Method of interpersonal communication and influence.

Out of jail card (just joking).

Question 2

Psychological components of humour

Answer 2

Cognitive: Humour comprehension

Emotional: Usually positive emotions but not always

Behavioural: Laughter, smiling

Pseudo-social: Way of bonding)

Question 3

Psychological functions of humour

Answer 3

Positive feelings
o Creativity, flexibility

Communication/manipulation 
o	Implicit (every joke as a message even if it is hidden), 

Tension reduction and coping
o Reframing, release tension

Question 4

Martineau (1972)

Answer 4

Actor (teller)
Audience
Target

Jokes can:
• Esteem (good natured, encouraging)

• Disparage (criticise, hostile)

Question 5

Function of jokes (Martineau)

Answer 5

Intragroup
o Jokes within a group

Intergroup
o Jokes at expense of another

Intergroup Interaction
o Different groups joking together

Ingroup – at expense of own group

Outgroup – at expense of outgroup

Question 6

Survival

Answer 6

Using humour for mutual attraction has helped reproduction and to establish strong groups which are safer to be in.

May be an alternative to grooming.

Question 7

Impression formation

Answer 7

Form impressions of people when we first meet them.

Good sense of humour leads to:
o Attractiveness
o Friends and romantic partners

Similarly important to have a good sense of humour than to be warm and open.

Question 8

Hall (2013) - couples

Answer 8

103 LTR couples.

Impact of 5 functions of humour mediated relationship between humour style and relationship satisfaction

Enjoyment function of humor mediated the relationship between positive styles and satisfaction.

Two other functions of humor (affection, reduce conflict) mediated relationship between positive styles and satisfaction, but were moderated by participant sex.

Strong relationship (.30) between male use of humour and relationship satisfaction (.19 for women)

Question 9

Freud and humour

Answer 9

Jokes as socially acceptable means of expressing hostile and aggressive impulses.

Question 10

Allport and humour

Answer 10

Jokes as vehicles to communicate hostility in disarming and less socially sanctioned ways.

Question 11

Disparagement Humour (Ford)

Answer 11

Remarks that elicit amusement through the derogation of a target.

If a person has prejudice against a group and hears humour against the group, they become more prejudice. .

If people aren’t prejudiced, a sexist joke doesn’t make them prejudiced.

It has to be a prejudice joke and not just a prejudice statement or another not prejudiced joke.