The heart of humor: A network analysis of the temperamental basis of humor and humor personality traits

Abstract

The present study investigated the structure and facet-to-facet systematic links (controlled for other links) across the temperamental basis of humor along with humor traits using network analysis. Undergraduate students (N = 747) completed the state-trait cheerfulness inventory and humor trait measures (e.g., comic styles, benevolent and corrective humor, humor styles, gelotophobia). The EBICglasso estimator was used to conduct partial correlations between facets in the network. Results showed cheerfulness, seriousness, and bad mood were largely interconnected to humor-related traits, further providing evidence for criterion validity of the temperamental basis of humor model. The nodes humorlessness in cheerful evoking situations (i.e., SE6), cheerful interactive style (CH5), verbal humor, laughter, katagelasticism, humor in everyday life, prevalence of sadness (i.e., BM2), and gelotophobia were strength central personality traits. The correlation stability-coefficients were 0.75 for strength, edge weight, and expected influence, suggesting that centrality indices were highly stable. Implications regarding the theoretical model for the temperamental basis of humor and meaningful components that emerge visually in the network (e.g., laughing at others, laughing with others, mixed styles) are discussed.