Humor as a means of regulating one’s social self: two infants with unique humorous personas

Abstract

This study investigated the humorous activity of two infants, 18 and 21 months old, in their infant group childcare setting. This was a qualitative study that followed two infants for four months. Through participant and non‐participant observations, journal writing and interviews, data were collected on children’s involvement in humorous activity. The findings suggest that the two infants were involved in producing and appreciating incongruities as well as empowering themselves by violating the rules within their childcare setting. At the same time there were distinct differences in the way they were involved in humorous events. Personal social knowledge and reactions from caregivers impacted their humorous behaviors. An individual profile is constructed for each child that points out their uniqueness and their personal way of regulating their social self through the production and appreciation of humor.