Humor responses of high and low premorbid competence alcoholic and nonalcoholic patients

Abstract

Abstract Groups of alcoholic, nonalcoholic psychiatric, and nonalcoholic medical patients, each including 10 high and 10 low social competence males, were shown cartoons having the themes of marital relations, dependency, and self-indulgence. High social competence patients recieved higher comprehension and mirth responses scores and rated the cartoons as funnier than did low social competence patients. Diagnostic status did not prove to be an important determinant of humor response. Findings involving cartoon theme indicated that the humor response is influenced by an interaction between the humor theme and the psychodynamics associated with the individual's matruity level. Alcoholics were not found to suffer circumscribed conflicts in the areas represented by the cartoon themes. The results were interpreted as support for a developmental approach to alcoholism as opposed to the psychodynamic approach. Developmental determinants of a sense of humor were discussed, and implications for future research were noted.