Humorous lectures and humorous examples: Some effects upon comprehension and retention.

Abstract

versions of a humorous lecture. The three versions of the humorous lecture included humorous examples related to the concepts in the lecture (concept humor), unrelated to the concepts (nonconcept humor), or a combination of concept and nonconcept examples (mixed humor). A test of comprehension and retention was given twice: immediately after the lecture and 6 weeks later. Results indicated that immediate comprehension was not facilitated by the use of humorous examples. Upon retesting, however, retention of concept humor material was significantly improved by viewing a lecture with humorous examples illustrating concepts. Earlier research findings are accounted for in terms of these results. The advice to use humor for communica, lated to the persuasive or educational mestion enhancement has been considered in sage. several empirical studies (Berlo & Ku- Another difficulty with the research on mata, 1956; Gruner, 1965, 1966). Only a humor and learning has been the method handful of studies, however, have focused of evaluating learning. No experimenter upon the efficacy of humor for lectures in a stated exactly from where in the message teaching situation. Although several stud- that test items were taken. Because of ies have shown that humor can increase this, two important questions become obattention and interest in a topic (Gruner, vious: Did any test questions assess recall 1970; Markiewicz, 1974), comprehension of material presented immediately before and acceptance of a message have not been or after a humor item? Was humor associdemonstrated to improve when the mes- ated in some way with the major points on sage includes humor (Gruner, 1967, 1970; which a listener was to be tested? KnowKennedy, 1972; Markiewicz, 1974; Taylor, ing how the humorous items in a message 1964). corresponded to subsequent test questions One problem with humor studies that would allow a more accurate appraisal of focus on learning is determining the na- hum0r's effect on learning. ture of the humor the investigators used. The purpose of the present study was to Subjects' ratings of the perceived humor- explore the effect of two types of humor : ousness of a message were taken in only a upon learning in a lecture situation. The minority of studies (Gruner, 1967, 1970; two types of humor are humor related to Kennedy, 1972; Lull, 1940). Most reports the concepts presented in the lecture (or omit discussions of fundamental ques- humorous examples) and humor unrelated tions, such as how the humor was chosen to the lecture's content. The primary conin the first place and how the humor re- cern is to determine how varying correspondence of humor with the topics of a classroom lecture moderates the compreA similar version of this article was presented at _ hension and retention of lecture material. the meeting of the Western Psychological Associa- It is our hypothesis that people have