The Relationship among Parents’ Humor Style, Children’s Emotionality, and Peer Competence

Abstract

The purpose of the present study investigated the types of humor styles of preschool children, as well as the relationship between parents’ humor styles, their children’s emotionality, and peer competence. For this purpose, the data on parents’ humor styles and their children’s emotionality and peer competence were collected from 203 children 3-5 years of age who were enrolled in 3 educational institutions for young children in the Seoul area, and from their parents. Basic statistical calculations including averages, standard deviations, and variances of the collected data were calculated for the analysis of the humor style of the fathers and mothers, and Pearson correlation analysis was conducted to examine the relationship between the parents’ humor styles and children’s emotionality and peer competence. The results are as follows: it turned out that both fathers and mothers use social humor most frequently, and fathers use more humor in general than mothers. In addition, the analysis of the relationship between parents’ humor styles and children’s emotionality and peer competence showed that children’s emotionality has to do with their mothers’ humor styles, whereas children’s peer competence has more to do with their fathers’ humor styles. Finally this study found that parents’ humor style has an impact on the development of children and provides a new perspective on positive parenting attitudes.