Abstract This paper examines the strategic deployment of humor by Mandarin Chinese speakers during first conversations as a way of sharing affect and establishing interpersonal connections. Through this detailed analysis of first conversations, three distinct humor practices emerge as particularly salient: teasing, animated performance, and conventionalized language play. These practices are manifested through distinctive vehicles to generate humor and establish relational connections. The findings reveal that humor practices play an important role that extends beyond mere amusement, particularly in the context of initial interactions. By deploying these practices, speakers of Mandarin Chinese create moments of shared affect that help them build relational connections with their unacquainted interlocutors. This research contributes to our understanding of the intricate relationship between humor, affect-sharing, and interpersonal connections, demonstrating how speakers of Mandarin Chinese index their affective stance in order to establish relational connections with their unacquainted counterparts.

Abstract The science of humor in persuasion has been examined in many fields, including business, the US Supreme court, and advertising. However, humor is rarely associated with scientific discourse, a discourse which aims to be persuasive and is traditionally viewed as objective. Nonetheless, humor can be found in informal exchanges in popularized science and even more formal settings such as in academic publications. Specifically, this article explores the understudied rhetorical and heuristic functions of humor in the scientific debate about the foundations of quantum mechanics, i.e., the ontological narrative about the nature of the physical reality, a subject typically associated with logos based arguments. We demonstrate our analysis on the case study of a leading physicist, John S. Bell, specifically his famous academic article “Against ’Measurement’” (1990) in which the use of humor is ubiquitous. We apply Olbrechts-Tyteca’s approach to the comic dimensions of disocurse and French discourse analyst Charaudeau’s approach to humor as a discursive strategy to several humorous acts in Bell’s article and show how and why humor is part of the persuasive strategy of his discourse. We argue that humorous processes based on irony, paradox, and parody (among others) are used to disqualify tenets of “orthodox” quantum mechanics and overcome a taboo around debating the foundations of quantum mechanics, thereby fostering scientific progress.

Abstract The present study’s aim was to develop a novel leader humor measure that distinguishes between two structural types of humor (INCongruity-RESolution and NONsense). In particular, the constructed scale assesses leaders’ humor production preference concerning using INC-RES and NON humor at the workplace. A sample of 131 participants filled in the newly developed, ten-item, Leader Humor Production Preference Scale (LHPPS). Results from principal component analyses indicated that the LHPPS had a robust internal structure (after discarding two INC-RES items). Internal consistency analysis showed that McDonald’s omega was 0.63 for the INC-RES, and 0.82 for the NON humor subscale. These preliminary findings are discussed in relation to prior theoretical accounts, and extensions to the study of leader humor are provided. Moreover, suggestions concerning future associative validity evaluation and the utility of the newly developed scale are considered.

Abstract Perceived gender differences and the supposed flaws of women are frequently conveyed in comedy formats – yet the consequences of such humor may differ for female and male recipients. Theory and research on stereotype threat and social identity threat suggest that stereotyping or devaluing communication against women can lead to their decreased identification with domains in which they are negatively stereotyped. Additionally, according to prejudiced norm theory , sexist humor that objectifies and stereotypes women can increase recipients’ tolerance of discrimination. This research sought to test both theories to explore the differential effects that sexist humor may have on women and men. In an experiment, it was examined whether the exposure to sexism in comedy (vs. non-sexist comedy) influences individuals’ 1) leadership aspirations and 2) endorsement of benevolent sexism. Participants ( N = 384; n = 154 female and n = 230 male) watched either a sexist or a non-sexist comedy clip by the American comedian Anthony Jeselnik . Watching sexist comedy had a small negative effect on women’s, but not on men’s leadership aspirations. Watching sexist comedy did not substantially influence participants’ endorsement of benevolent sexism; however, independent of experimental condition, men reported more benevolent sexism than women. Results are discussed in the light of the ongoing replication crisis and with respect to their practical relevance.

Abstract This article examines the various manifestations of the opening and closing of non-live stand-up comedy in Arabic. It aims to identify the sequential functional components comedians employ to open and close this genre, as well as the linguistic strategies utilized to articulate the pragmatic functions inherent in these ritualistic elements. Furthermore, the study examines the contextual and intertextual resources that performers utilize to compensate for the absence of direct, face-to-face interaction with their audience. Drawing on a corpus comprising fifty videos performed by Jordanian comedians, we found that the lack of simultaneous dyadic interaction between the comedians and their audience epitomizes distinctive generic moves that provide the foundation for the performance. The results revealed that non-live stan-dups draw on certain functional components, some of which are phatic and context-free; others are co-textually bound, like introducing the main topic and reintegration, and others are intertextually based, like commenting on ritual occasions and corporeal needs; allusion, and private ridicule to encourage the prospective viewers’ involvement and focalize humorous messages. The findings of this study can enhance our understanding of how Arab comedians develop their non-live stand-ups and engage their audience in preparation for the main performance, as well as how they skillfully navigate the closing using specific sequential moves.