Humor Scale Research Articles

Reliability and validity of the sense of humor scale

Abstract This study examined the reliability, validity, and factor structure of the sense of humor scale (SHS; McGhee, Paul E. 1999. Health, healing and the amuse system: Humor as survival training, 3rd edn. Dubuque: Kendall/Hunt), a 24-item questionnaire developed to measure overall sense of humor. Participants included 99 adults, 105 undergraduates, and 111 comedians. One-week test-retest reliability was good (r = 0.75). Internal consistency of the overall scale was excellent, and acceptable-to-excellent for the six subscales. Item-total correlations were generally strong. Comedians scored higher than undergraduates and adults, supporting the construct validity of the SHS. Convergent validity was strong as the SHS was positively correlated with the Humor Styles Questionnaire total and its subscales. Our analyses of SHS’s associations with the Big Five personality dimensions led to findings that are consistent with prior research, as the SHS was positively correlated with extraversion and openness to experience, but uncorrelated with neuroticism, agreeableness, and conscientiousness. Factor analyses found a bifactor model to be the best fitting model for the SHS. Ancillary bifactor fit indices provided additional support for the notion that the SHS may not be best described as unidimensional. Thus, it can be argued that the subscales are relevant for both research and applied work as they offer unique contributions.

Humor styles as markers of personality facets: An examination of the personality structural foundation of humor

Although numerous studies have explored the association of humor with personality, research has not yet considered conceptual similarities and differences across a breadth of humor styles that may point to shared personality trait foundations. We examined ways in which different humor styles, proposed in four popular inventories, map to the Big-Five circumplex framework using methodology proposed by Woods and Anderson (2016). Survey findings (N = 404) indicate that over 75% of humor styles tap primarily into Extraversion or Agreeableness, highlighting predictable primary loadings for positive and negative humor styles across scales. We note interesting patterns of clustering in the circumplex space across all humor scales, and contextualize these findings in light of extant research.

Development and Validation of the Short Version of the Sense of Humor Scale (SHS-S)

Abstract. Humor training has become increasingly popular to enhance the “sense of humor” and well-being and to decrease depressive symptoms. Despite the wide applications of these training programs, the assessment of training efficacy has attracted less attention. The Sense of Humor Scale (SHS; McGhee, 1996 , 1999 ) recently was expanded to a long version (SHS-L) to enhance its internal consistency ( Ruch & Heintz, 2018 ). At the same time, there is also the need for a brief version of this scale. The purpose of the present study is to develop a short version (SHS-S) in both German- and English-speaking countries, test its psychometric properties (internal consistency, factorial, construct, and criterion validity), and assess measurement invariance across gender and the two languages. Using three samples (Sample 1: 570 English-speakers, Sample 2: 353 German-speakers, Sample 3: 94 other-reports), the 29-item SHS-S was developed and yielded promising internal consistency and validity scores for the six humor skill factors of enjoyment of humor, laughter, verbal humor, finding humor in everyday life, laughing at yourself, and humor under stress. Overall, the SHS-S is an internally consistent, valid, and economic tool for future research and group-based applications, while the SHS-L seems especially useful in individual applications.

The Effect of Humor Intervention Program on Positive and Negative Symptoms among Schizophrenic Patients

Background: Schizophrenia is a chronic disease characterized by distortions in thinking, perception, emotions, language, sense of self and behavior. Humor could be used as an alternative to conventional treatment with the goal of helping patients with schizophrenia cope with symptoms, enhance recovery through its emotional, cognitive, social and physiological effects. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of humor intervention program on positive and negative symptoms among schizophrenic patients. Design: Randomized control trial (RCT) design was used. Sample: Purposive sample consisted of 40) schizophrenic patients, the study group (n= 20) and control group (n= 20). The patients were selected and allocated randomly into two groups, intervention group (received the humor interventions program) and control group (received traditional care). The study conducted in the Psychiatry and Addiction Prevention "El Kasr AlAini University Hospital and al Rakhawy Hospital for Mental Health. Tools: three tools were used for data collection were; the Socio Demographic Data Sheet, Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and Multidimensional Sense of Humor Scale (MSHS). Results: revealed that, there was a statistical significant difference between total score of PANSS between study and control groups post intervention. Conclusion: The present study emphasizes the importance of humor intervention program in reducing severity of symptoms of patients with schizophrenia. Key words: schizophrenia, humor intervention, positive symptoms, negative symptoms

Humorous Coping With Unrequited Love: Is Perspective Change Important?

A large number of studies suggest that humor is associated with mental well-being and effective as a means of coping. However, it is less well-understood which mechanisms are effective for this particular function of humor. The present study examines whether processes of change of perspective, which are often regarded as constitutive for humor, could be an effective coping-factor when facing unrequited love as a specific psychological burden. In a questionnaire study, N = 148 persons aged 18–65 years (w = 96) with actual or past experiences of unrequited love reported on their subjective burden due to this experience, their self-esteem and satisfaction with life, two scales for humor (Multidimensional Sense of Humor Scale: MSHS, and a self-constructed scale: Humorous Change of Perspective, HCOP) and a coping scale which measure change of perspective in the confrontation with goal blockages (Flexible Goal Adjustment, FGA). Results indicated that the burden of unrequited love [operationalized objectively as actuality of experience (dichotomous) or subjectively as burden experienced] and both indicators of well-being were negatively associated. Multiple regression analyses showed that humor was a significant moderator of this relationship in nearly all combinations of operationalizations of humor and indicators of well-being: Higher levels of humor are associated with better well-being even when the perceived burden was high. In addition, the study examined whether the coping effect of humor can be partly or mainly attributed to the individual's capacity to perspective change as captured by FGA. When including this scale as a covariate in the regression models, the moderation effect for MSHS did not persist; however, for HCOP the moderation effect remained unchanged: the moderator effect of humorous change of perspective proved to be independent of FGA. Taken together the results suggest that perspective-changing skills play a significant role in the coping effect of humor in dealing with psychological burdens. However, depending on which humor facet is measured, the entailed perspective change may or may not appear to go beyond what the individual's FGA can account for. This suggests that the coping effect caused by humorous change of perspective includes aspects that are also discussed for other coping resources as well as its own, humor-specific aspects. Potential avenues for future studies are discussed both with respect to the necessity for replication and extension of the present study and to the determination of other potential alleviativing effects of other facets of humor.

THE RELATION OF HUMOR TO DEPRESSION AND PERSONALITY

Background:Depression is a common illness in the world.Humor plays an important role in mental health filed as a coping mechanism. Different personality variables seem to be factors associated with depression. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to study the relationship among different personalities and coping humor which may lead to identified associated depression Methodology:An online website of the questionnaires was created for data collection using three scales combined: Coping humor scale (CHS), Zung depression scale, Eysencks Personality Inventory (EPI) which was conducted on a convenience sample population of at least 200 college students participants from King Faisal University. After conducting the research, the data was collected, analyzed and processed in tables using the appropriate statistical measurements, in return the results were given and concluded. Results: We collected data from 502 participants with mean age 23.6 ± 3.5 years old and 74.3 % of participants were females. The mean scores of CHS, depression scales, extraversion/introversion and Neuroticism/emotional stability were 20.27 (out of 28), 44.42 (out of 80), 18.27 (out of 24), and 10.99 (out of 24).There is a significant negative correlation between coping humor scale and depression scale (P=0.00). Conclusion:There is a significant negative correlation between depression and coping of humor among students in Al Alahsa, Saudi Arabia. Moreover, extraverted participants and emotional stable participants were associated with higher usage of humor to cope and less level of depression.

Hubungan sense of humor dengan penyesuaian diri pada Mahasiswa baru dari luar Jawa

New students often have difficulty adjusting to their new environment. Moreover, there are very significant cultural and language differences. Difficulty adjusting also has physical impacts, such as stress and depression. Meanwhile, her psychological outlook is like being unable to achieve mental happiness. So in this case it is necessary to develop a sense of humor in making adjustments. This study aims to determine the relationship between a sense of humor and self-adjustment in new students from outside Java. The sample of this research is 99 new students of Merdeka University Malang. The sampling technique uses Random Sampling. The data analysis in this study used the Pearson product moment correlation coefficient technique. The research methods used were the item validity test of the self-adjustment scale and the item validity test for the sense of humor scale and the reliability test using the SPSS 22 computer, namely the cronbach technique for each scale. The results showed that there was a significant relationship with rxy = 0.414 and with p = 0.000, which means that there is a positive relationship between sense of humor and self-adjustment in new students from outside Java.

Incremental validity of the dual self-directed humor scale in predicting psychological well-being: Beyond the big five personality traits and four humor styles

Previous studies have mostly focused on the negative elements of self-directed humor (SDH) in well-being and measured their individual differences. Tsukawaki and Imura Personality and Individual Differences, 157, (2020) developed the Dual Self-Directed Humor Scale (DSDHS), which is the first scale to measure individual differences in SDH across two dimensions, negative (Deleterious SDH) and positive (Benign SDH). Although the DSDHS has provided promising initial evidence of validity and reliability, its psychometric properties need further investigation. Our first objective was to investigate the relationship between the two dimensions of the DSDHS and the Big Five personality characteristics, and to establish construct validity. Our second objective was to verify the incremental validity of the DSDHS and in using the Big Five and four humor styles as comparison criteria, we tested whether the DSDHS could account for additional variance in well-being prediction, even when they were controlled for. The results show a discriminatory correlation between the two dimensions of the DSDHS and the Big Five, verifying the construct validity. Moreover, two dimensions of the DSDHS were found to explain further variations in well-being, even after controlling for the Big Five or four humor styles, showing incremental validity. Further evidence on validity of the DSDHS was provided.

Examining the Relationship between the Sense of Humor and the Social Exclusion Perceived by Gifted and Talented Students

This research aimed to establish the relationship between the social exclusion perceived by gifted and talented students and their sense of humor. Besides, the goal was to evaluate the relationship between the variables of the use of humor, the process of coping through a sense of humor, and the appreciating humor in cases of ignoring and avoiding during social exclusion. A relational screening model was used in the research. Among the research variables included in the model, social exclusion (ostracism) is considered as a dependent variable, while the sense of humor is an independent variable. The study group is composed of 202 students who are diagnosed as gifted and talented students. Within the scope of the study, the “Multidimensional Sense of Humor Scale for Children” developed by Akın and Bilgin (2015) and the “Social Exclusion Scale for Adolescents” developed by Sertelin Mercan (2016) have been applied. When the data collected as a result of the study was examined, it was revealed that there was a positive relationship between the sub-dimensions of generating a sense of humor, coping through humor, and appreciating humor, which is the sense of humor sub-dimensions of gifted and talented students and the exclusion subdimension of social exclusion. This situation shows that gifted and talented children generate a sense of humor, cope with this situation through humor, and appreciate humor when they face exclusion in their social environment.

Coronavirus Disease Stress Among Italian Healthcare Workers: The Role of Coping Humor.

The study aimed to understand how coping strategies in general and humor-based coping strategies in particular modulate the perception of pandemic-related stress in a sample of Italian healthcare workers during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Italy. A total of 625 healthcare workers anonymously and voluntarily completed a 10-min questionnaire, which included psychometrically valid measurements preceded by a set of questions aimed at determining workers’ exposure to COVID-19. The Perceived Stress Scale was used to measure healthcare workers’ stress levels, and the Brief COPE Scale and Coping Humor Scale were used to assess participants’ avoidant or approach coping style and verify the degree to which they relied on humor to cope with stress. The results show that (1) levels of perceived stress were higher in healthcare workers who were more exposed to COVID-19 (i.e., who came into contact with COVID-19 patients or worked in wards dedicated to COVID-19) in comparison to less-exposed workers; (2) participants who reported a higher use of avoidant coping strategies perceived the situation as more stressful than those who used them less; and (3) healthcare workers who reported higher use of humor-based coping strategies perceived the situation as less stressful in comparison with those who reported less use of coping humor. Such findings expanded other research studies by including coping humor as a potential factor to mitigate the perceived stress related to COVID-19. The paper concludes with a discussion of implications for future research and limitations of the study.

The connection between antisocial creativity and values of students of pedagogical specialties

Scholars study various aspects of creativity: features of a creative personality; the impact of creativity on society; mechanisms and conditions for the development of creativity. Creativity is productive, makes the life of a person and society better, as well as promotes progress. At the same time, the phenomenon of creativity is not so definite since scholars distinguish such a variety as antisocial creativity, in which a person uses one’s creative potential against society and other people. This is reflected in specific research concerned with this phenomenon. It emphasizes the negative influence of the antisocial creativity of teachers on the forming personality of students and the effectiveness of education. The study objective is to study the antisocial creativity of future teachers and its connection with values and basic beliefs. The methods of testing, polling, mathematical statistics (correlation analysis) were used in the course of the study. This empirical study has revealed strong links between antisocial creativity and the age of respondents. As a result, antisocial creativity is connected with such values of social groups as conformism, tradition (inverse correlation); self-direction, power and achievement (direct correlation). A negative correlation with the humor scale allows the authors to conclude that this type of antisocial creativity is a kind of defense. For the first time, this ascertaining study has considered the specifics of antisocial creativity of students of pedagogical specialties with due regard to their beliefs and values. The promising areas of research on the antisocial creativity of future teachers include identifying both personal and social determinants of this phenomenon.

Investigation of the psychological resilience of teacher candidates in terms of sense of humor and life satisfaction

The aim of this study is to examine the psychological resilience in teacher candidates in terms of sense of humor and life satisfaction. Correlational research model was used in the study. The dependent variable of the research is psychological resilience and independent variables are sense of humor and life satisfaction. The research was carried out on 427 teacher candidates between the ages of 18-27, 318 females (74.5%) and 109 males (25.5%). The Resilience Scale for Adults, The Multidimensional Sense of Humor Scale, The Satisfaction with Life Scale and Personal Information Form were used to collect data. Descriptive statistics, independent groups t-test, variance analysis, Pearson correlation coefficient and hierarchical regression analysis were used to analyze the data. When the findings of the study are analyzed, it is seen that psychological resilience in terms of gender differs significantly in favor of female teacher candidates. A positive relationship was found between teacher candidates' psychological resilience and sense of humor. In addition, a positive relationship was found between psychological resilience and life satisfaction. Looking at the findings, it is seen that the variables of sense of humor and life satisfaction predict psychological resilience significantly. The findings were discussed according to the literature and various suggestions were presented.

Humor Training Program on Sense of Humor among Older Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Introduction: Several studies have a well-documented positive association between sense of humor and physical and mental well-being in later life. However, there is evidence to indicate that sense of humor declines with age. This study was conducted to examine humor training program on the sense of humor among older adults. Methods: This community-based randomized controlled trial study was conducted in 2019. There were 18 older adults in the intervention group and 20 older adults in the control group. The intervention group received the 7 Humor Habits Program in eight training sessions, whereas the control group was waitlisted. The Multidimensional Sense of Humor Scale (MSHS) was used to measure the sense of humor before and after the intervention. A series of paired samples t-tests and difference-in-differences approach using IBM SPSS Version 23.0 were conducted to assess changes from pre-test to post-test. The significance level of p ≤ .05 was considered for the statistical analysis. Results and Discussion: The mean age of the participants in the intervention and control groups was 66.50, (SD=6.14) and 67.60, (SD= 5.64) years, respectively. The results of a series of paired samples t-tests revealed a statistically significant increase in the total score of sense of humor from pre-test (M =77.28, SD = 13.62) to post-test (M=101.11, SD=17.06), (t= -6.77, p<.001), in intervention group. Other paired samples t-tests showed statistically significant changes from pre-test to post-test for subscales of humor including enjoyment of humor (t= -4.59, p<.001), laughter (t= -7.83, p<.001), verbal humor (t= -4.73, p<.001), finding humor in everyday life (t= -4.19, p<.001), laughing at yourself (t= -6.36, p<.01), and humor under stress (t= -2.54, P≤.05) in intervention group. Moreover, the results of the difference-in-differences approach revealed a significant increase in the sense of humor for the intervention group compared to the control group (F=43.54, p<.001). No statistically significant changes were observed in any outcome variables in the control group. Conclusion: The results of this study provided support that the sense of humor can be improved using a training program in later life.

Fear of COVID-19, Mindfulness, Humor, and Hopelessness: A Multiple Mediation Analysis

Hopelessness is an important vulnerability factor for depressive symptomology and suicidal ideations. It may also play an important role in the fear of coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19). Therefore, the present study tested the mediating role of mindful awareness and humor (both identified as coping strategies for dealing with stressful situations) in the relationship between fear of COVID-19 and hopelessness. Participants comprised 786 Turkish individuals (562 females and 224 males; aged between 18 and 67 years) from 71 of 81 cities in Turkey. An online convenience sampling method was used to recruit participants. Participants completed surveys including the Fear of COVID-19 Scale, Beck Hopelessness Scale, Mindful Attention Awareness Scale, and Coping Humor Scale. The model was tested using structural equation modeling (SEM) and utilizing bootstrapping. The results of SEM showed that the effect of fear of COVID-19 on hopelessness was partly mediated by mindfulness and humor, and which was supported by bootstrapping. Therefore, higher fear of COVID-19 was associated with lower mindfulness and humor. In turn, lower mindfulness and humor were related with higher hopelessness. Findings are discussed in the context of COVID-19 and the hopelessness literature, and practical implications for counselors are also provided.

Estado de Humor de atletas de categoria de base da modalidade Basquetebol

O estudo teve o objetivo de investigar o estado de humor de atletas de Basquetebol de um Clube de São Paulo no início e no final da temporada de 2018. Assim, foi utilizada a Escala de Humor de Brunel (BRUMS), aplicada numa amostra composta por 26 atletas (Sub-13 e Sub-15), voluntários, do sexo masculino, federados, com idades entre 13 e 15 anos. Os resultados demonstraram que os dois grupos de pesquisa apresentaram estado de humor similar no início e final da temporada, com o fator Vigor sendo superior aos demais. Além disso, o Sub-13 aumentou os escores dos fatores Vigor e Tensão entre o início e o final da temporada e o Sub-15 diminuiu os escores do fator Fadiga no decorrer da temporada. Pode-se concluir que os atletas apresentaram o perfil de humor denominado de iceberg.

Estado de humor de atletas da base de uma equipe de basquetebol

O presente estudo investigou o estado de humor de atletas de Basquetebol das categorias de base de um Clube, comparando o estado de humor no início e no final da temporada de 2018. Participaram 26 atletas, voluntários, do sexo masculino, federados, com idades entre 13 e 15 anos. Os atletas responderam a Escala de Humor de Brunel - BRUMS. Os resultados demonstraram que os atletas apresentaram um estado de humor positivo, pois tanto no início quanto no final da temporada a subescala Vigor obteve os maiores escores. Em relação as comparações entre o início e o final da temporada, os atletas aumentaram os escores das subescalas Vigor e Tensão, além de diminuírem os escores da subescala Fadiga. Pode-se concluir que durante a temporada de 2018 os atletas foram capazes de manter o estado de humor positivo, com valores de Vigor superiores aos demais fatores, o que é caracterizado como ideal para o rendimento esportivo.

Sex differences in humor experiences in relationship to compassion for oneself and for others

AbstractThis study explored how multifaceted facets of humor relate to sex differences and compassion for oneself, others, and the environment (Ntotal = 697; 57.5% female). We utilized the Dispositional Positive Emotions ‘amusement’ subscale (DPES-H), the Humor Styles Questionnaire Self-Enhancing Dimension (HSQ-SE), and the COPE Inventory to assess ‘coping humor’ (COPE-CH) and found that males report significantly higher scores of these humor constructs when compared to females. Considering previous research indicating that humor may be used to enhance oneself and relationships with others, we compared all three humor measures in males and females with reports of self-compassion, other-oriented compassion, and altruistic environmental concern. Interestingly, we found that all three humor scales are significantly related to the multi-faceted measure of self-compassion, the DPES ‘compassion’ subscale (DPES-C), and the environmental concern scale, but specific significant correlations vary according to sex. Altogether, this study explores sex differences in humor experiences and illustrates that women’s experiences with coping humor, DPES humor, and self-enhancing humor are significantly correlated with reports of compassion for oneself and others while men’s experiences with coping humor, DPES humor, and self-enhancing humor are significantly correlated with altruistic environmental concern. Potential basis for these correlations and implications for future research in light of these sex differences and similarities will be discussed.

Humour and ex-Yugoslav nations: is there any truth in the stereotypes?

This study explores the issue of humour stereotyping between ex-Yugoslav nations, their veridicality and possible explanations. Three research questions were put forward relating to humour stereotyping, as well as the differences in humour production, use and appreciation between the countries. The survey data were collected on a sample of university students from four ex-Yugoslav countries (N = 611). The results revealed strong negative humour stereotyping toward Croats and Slovenians and positive stereotyping toward Bosnians. However, only about 0–4 % of the variance in humour production, use and appreciation, depending on the sub-scales of the Multidimensional Sense of Humor Scale, could be attributed to the group (country) membership, thus indicating low correspondence between the stereotypes and reality. The results concerning the stereotypes were interpreted by evoking the discourse of Balkanism, as well as humour-style differences in popular culture between the countries

Diabetes and Humor: A Preliminary Investigation.

Diabetes can take a tremendous toll on physical and psychological health. Given the growing evidence of the benefits of humor, this study examined the association between diabetes and humor. The sample consisted of 249 participants: 72.3% with type 1 diabetes, 70.3% female, 89.5% Caucasian, and 70.9% college educated. Participants completed the Humor Styles Questionnaire (HSQ) and were compared with HSQ norms. On the affiliative humor scale, the diabetes group did not differ from the norm (P >0.05), nor did those with type 1 diabetes (P >0.05). Scores of those with type 2 diabetes were lower than the norm (P <0.05). On the self-enhancing humor scale, the diabetes group did not differ from the norm (P >0.05), nor did the subgroups with type 1 diabetes (P >0.05) or type 2 diabetes (P >0.05). The diabetes group was lower than the norm on aggressive humor (P <0.01), as were the subgroups with type 1 diabetes (P <0.01) and type 2 diabetes (P <0.05). The diabetes group was higher than the norm on self-defeating humor (P <0.01), as were the subgroups with type 1 diabetes (P <0.01) and type 2 diabetes (P <0.01). Results suggest that people with either type of diabetes are more inclined toward self-enhancing humor, are less inclined toward aggressive humor, and score higher on self-defeating humor, and those with type 1 diabetes are also inclined toward affiliative humor. Results are discussed relative to the sample being comprised of individuals with good glycemic control (mean A1C 7.06 ± 1.39%). This study offers a preliminary comparison of humor among people with diabetes versus those in a healthy norm group without diabetes.

The humor characteristics of young epileptic patients and its correlation with depression

Objective: To explore the characteristics of humor in young adult epileptic patients and examine the relationship between humor and depression. Methods: We recruited 55 young adult epileptic patients who visited outpatient clinic of the Department of Neurology of Yijishan Hospital of Wannan Medical College between October 2018 and March 2019 and 44 healthy controls to complete the multidimensional humor scale (MSHS), humor style questionnaire (HSQ) and Beck depression scale-Ⅱ (BDI-Ⅱ), and compared their differences between the two groups. Results: The results showed that the young adult patients with epilepsy (PWEs) were affected in humor creation, coping with humor and the totally scores of MSHS. The scores of humor creation, coping with humor and the totally scores of MSHS in the young epilepsy patients were 25.3±5.9, 16.7±5.0 and 61±10, which were significantly lower than those in the control group 29.8±6.1, 21.1±2.6 and 71±8. As for the humor style, self-defeating humor scores in PWEs were higher than controls 14±5 vs 9±3, and the self-enhancing humor scores were lower than controls 18±7 vs 23±6. The scores of BDI-Ⅱ in PWEs were significantly higher than those of normal controls 13±7 vs 6±4. Pearson's correlation test showed that the scores of BDI-Ⅱ were negatively correlated with humor creation, coping with humor, the totally scores of MSHS and self-enhancing humor scores (r=-0.566--0.721, P<0.05), while it was positively correlated with self-defeating humor scores (r=0.818, P<0.05). Among the clinically relevant factors, the scores of BDI-Ⅱ were correlated with seizure control and gender. Multiple stepwise linear regression showed that coping with humor, self-defeating and self-enhancing humor scores were closely related with depression in young epileptic adults. Conclusion: The young adults with epilepsy are affected in sense of humor and humor style, which are closely related with depression.