Humor Skills Research Articles

Testing the Effectiveness of a Social Cognition Training Program on Preschoolers’ Social Cognition and Humor Understanding

Abstract Social cognition helps children develop an understanding of their own and others’ mental states, which facilities social interaction. Humor is a multidimensional skill that includes cognitive, social, and emotional aspects that may be shared mechanisms with social cognition. Although we know that both skills are positively related to each other, there has been no study investigating their causal relationship. The present study aimed to find out whether there is a causal relationship between social cognition and humor in 3-year-olds. Children in the experimental group were trained on emotion and false belief understanding, and children in the control group were trained on Piagetian conservation tasks for approximately 1 month. All children completed three different versions of social cognition tasks and one humor appreciation and production test at both baseline and posttest. There was no significant training effect on either social cognition or humor skills in preschoolers. Several possible explanations for the pattern of findings and recommendations for future research are discussed.

Coping and laughing in the face of broken promises: implications for creative behavior

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to consider how employees’ perceptions of psychological contract breach, due to their sense that their organization has not kept its promises, might diminish their creative behavior. Yet access to two critical personal resources – emotion regulation and humor skills – might buffer this negative relationship.Design/methodology/approachSurvey data were collected from employees in a large organization in the automobile sector.FindingsEmployees’ beliefs that their employer has not come through on its promises diminishes their engagement in creative activities. The effect is weaker among employees who can more easily control their emotions and who use humor in difficult situations.Practical implicationsFor organizations, the results show that the frustrations that come with a sense of broken promises can be contained more easily to the extent that their employee bases can rely on pertinent personal resources.Originality/valueThis investigation provides a more comprehensive understanding of when perceived contract breach steers employees away from productive work activities, in the form of creativity. This damaging effect is less prominent when employees possess skills that enable them to control negative emotions or can use humor to cope with workplace adversity.

When does job dissatisfaction lead to deviant behaviour? The critical roles of abusive supervision and adaptive humour

With a basis in conservation of resources theory, this study investigates the relationship between employees’ sense of job dissatisfaction and their engagement in deviant behaviour, as well as the moderating roles that their exposure to abusive leadership and possession of adaptive humour skills can play in this process. Based on two-way survey data collected from employees in Pakistan, the findings show that employees’ unhappy feelings about their job situations enhance the likelihood that they undertake negative behaviours that can harm their organization, especially when they suffer from abusive leadership or lack adaptive humour skills. The buffering effect of their adaptive humour on the positive relationship between job dissatisfaction and deviant behaviour is also particularly salient in the presence of abusive leadership. JEL Classification: D23, D91, M50

استخدام المدخل الجمالى فى تدریس الریاضیات لتنمیة الحس الفکاهى والتذوق الجمالى لدى تلامیذ الصف الخامس الابتدائى

هدف البحث الحالى إلى قياس فاعلية استخدام المدخل الجمالى فى تدريس الرياضيات لتنمية الحس الفکاهى والتذوق الجمالى لدى تلاميذ الصف الخامس الابتدائى ، وقد تکونت عينة البحث من(100) تلميذ وتلميذة من تلاميذ الصف الخامس الابتدائى بإدارة الداخلة التعليمية بمحافظة الوادى الجديد ، تم اختيارهم بطريقة عشوائية ، واستخدم الباحث التصميم شبه التجريبى ذو المجموعتين: مجموعة تجريبية عددها (50) تلميذا وتلميذة درسوا باستخدام المدخل الجمالى ، ومجموعة ضابطة عددها (50) تلميذا وتلميذة درسوا بالطريقة المعتادة. ولتحقيق هدف البحث فقد تم إعداد أدوات البحث وتمثلت فى مقياس الحس الفکاهى ؛ واختبار التذوق الجمالى ، وطبقت الأدوات قبليا وبعديا بعد التاکد من صدقها وثباتها وکشفت نتائج البحث عن وجود فرق دال إحصائيا بين متوسطي درجات تلاميذ المجموعة الضابطة والتجريبية فى التطبيق البعدى لمقياس الحس الفکاهى لصالح المجموعة التجريبية ، کما أظهرت نتائج البحث وجود فرق دال إحصائيا بين متوسطي درجات تلاميذ المجموعة الضابطة والتجريبية فى التطبيق البعدى لاختبار التذوق الجمالى لصالح المجموعة التجريبية . Abstract: The present research aimed to identify the effectiveness of using the aesthetic Approach in teaching of mathematics to develop the sense of humor and aesthetic taste among primary school students in the fifth grade.The sample of the research consisted of 100 students chosen randomly from El- Dakhla Primary Schools in the New Valley .the Reseacher used Quasi-experimental design with two groups : the control group who learn mathematics by the traditional method and exprimental group who learn mathematics by aesthetic Approach, Each group consists of 50 students. to achieve the objectives of the Research, the researcher designed tools of the research which a test of measuring aesthetic taste skills and scale of measuring the sense of humor ,pre and post tests are determined , after checking their validity and reliability to measure aesthetic taste skills and scale of measuring the sense. The results of the research have shown that there is a significant differences of mean scores of control experimental groups favoring the pre –scale of the sense of humor skills, it also has been found that there is a significant differences of mean scores of control exprimental groups favoring the pre- test of aesthetic taste skills.

The Effectiveness of Humor Skills Training on Positive and Negative Symptoms of Chronic Schizophrenia Spectrum

The Effectiveness of Humor Skills Training on Positive and Negative Symptoms of Chronic Schizophrenia Spectrum

Psychometric evaluation of the revised Sense of Humor Scale and the construction of a parallel form

Abstract McGhee (1996, Health, healing and the amuse system: Humor as survival training. Dubuque: Kendall/Hunt; 1999, Health, healing and the amuse system: Humor as survival training (3rd edition). Dubuque: Kendall/Hunt) proposed a model of the sense of humor including the six “humor skills” of enjoyment of humor, laughter, verbal humor, finding humor in everyday life, laughing at yourself, and humor under stress, measured with the Sense of Humor Scale (SHS). The purpose of the present study is to evaluate the psychometric properties of the SHS (revised version from 1999) and to develop a parallel form of the SHS to double the amount of items for each humor skill. Combing these two forms should yield reliable and factorially valid scales of the six humor skills. Participants in two online studies (n=315 and 542) completed the SHS and its parallel form, along with measures of various outcomes. The psychometric properties of the SHS were of mixed quality, and those of the parallel form were uniformly good. The parallel-test reliability was sufficiently high to regard the two scales as parallel versions. Combining the two measures resulted in reliable and distinguishable scales of the six humor skills. All humor skills correlated positively with humor-related attitude and mood, cheerfulness, and life satisfaction. Importantly, they spanned different dimensions of the sense of humor, underscoring the usefulness of each humor skill.

Paul McGhee and humor research

Abstract Humor research has developed along a trajectory, and branched out in many directions, that were foreseen and stimulated by Paul McGhee. From his initial interest in children’s humor and cognitive development as a graduate student at Ohio State University to his work applying humor in myriad settings, McGhee has broadened our understanding of humor and expanded its horizons. As early as the 1970s, Paul expressed interest in the neuropsychology of humor and laughter and in the evolution of humor in nonhuman primates. The development and validation of the Sense of Humor Scale is an integral part of the 7 Humor Habits Program used effectively to train humor skills. McGhee played an early role in advocating humor and laughter as a learnable tool in the promotion of health and well-being, and in the training of health-care personnel. His work has been recognized through various Lifetime Achievements awards and other honors.

Międzykulturowe kompetencje komunikowania się polskich emigrantów zarobkowych w Anglii a ich poczucie sukcesu zawodowego

The dynamic changes on the current job market make it requisite for Polish emigrants to be competitive. This means being equipped with both appropriate hard and soft competences. Soft competences, especially communication skills, are the most significant. The aim of this research was to illustrate the correlation between the intercultural communication skills of Poles living in the UK and their professional success. 123 individuals working in South West England were examined. A questionnaire of my own design was based on the objectivist paradigm and employed the diagnostic survey method, used both as a surveying technique and a research tool. The research showed that in three out of six specific skills (indicators) within the Communication Competence scope – such as humour, communication effectiveness and foreign language skills – higher results were obtained by individuals who felt they had achieved professional success. Therefore, it can be presumed that the high level of acquiring the above skills is a good basis for achieving professional success abroad.

Using the Pecha Kucha speech to analyze and train humor skills

ABSTRACTCourses: Public speaking; communication courses requiring speeches.Objective: Students will learn how to apply humor principles to speeches through a slideshow method supportive of this goal, and to become more discerning about the possibilities and pitfalls of humorous communication.

The knowledge and the use of psychological skills of anger management skills at the bedside by the physicians and nurses of Jahrom University of Medical Sciences in 2013

Although all individuals could be exposed to the outburst of anger, a group of them are more at risk than others because of the nature of their work and responsibilities, that the physicians and nurses are placed in this group. In the field of psychology, different skills such as social protection systems, problem-solving skills, self-relaxation system, use of humor skills and communication and negotiation skills have been proposed to control anger. Given the importance of anger management in the prevention of job violence in the health environment and its impact on psychological health of psychiatrists and nurses and also the lack of information and research on the topic, this study aimed to study the knowledge and the use of psychological skills of anger management at the bedside by the physicians and nurses of Jahrom University of Medical Sciences. Methodology: This study is a cross-sectional and descriptive research, its studied sample included 259 general practitioners, specialists and nurses working in two general hospitals affiliated to Jahrom University of Medical Sciences. They were included in the study by the census method. The data was collected by the self-report method and two researcher-made questionnaires: a questionnaire of the knowledge of the psychological skills of anger management and a questionnaire of the use of anger management skills at the bedside and their validity (face and content) and reliability were examined before performing the research. Data analysis was performed with descriptive statistics (mean, frequency, percentage) using SPSS software. Results: The mean of the knowledge of the physicians and nurses of Jahrom University of Medical Sciences from the psychological skills of anger management was 30.2 (standard deviation is equal to 1.53) that based on the classification of the scores of related questionnaire, it was at a good level. Also, the results showed that the mean of the use of psychological skills of anger management at the bedside by the physicians and nurses working in Jahrom University of Medical Sciences was 39.54 (standard deviation is equal to 1.28) that based on the classification of the scores of related questionnaire, it was at a good level. Conclusion: According to the results, the knowledge and the use of psychological skills of anger management skills at the bedside by the physicians and nurses of Jahrom University of Medical Sciences were at the desired level, however, it is proposed to use other evaluation and assessment methods which have no limitations of self-report method in future studies. Keywords: anger management skill, nurses, physicians

Attitude of teachers towards musically gifted students in grammar schools and vocational high-schools

Besides parents and schools, the teachers as well have a major role in identification of gifted students, in their acquisition of basic knowledge, improving skills, improving self-esteem and capability of solving various tasks. Attitude of teachers towards gifted students is based on the role which is imposed on the teacher and his ability to take advantage of his role maximally. The success in implementing this role is directly related to the personal traits of a teacher. They should be different from the routine teachers and have personal qualities. They are extremely capable, distinguished by open-mindness, flexibility and high self-respect, being involved in personal and professional development. They are enthusiastic (highly motivated and devoted to their professional call), having a talent for establishing social relations with children (patience, sensitivity, sense of humour and good communication skills).

A Psycho-Linguistic Approach For Studying Adult Playfulness: A Replication and Extension Toward Relations With Humor

ABSTRACT This study addresses the basic structure of playfulness in adults from a psy-cho-lexical approach and its relationship with the sense of humor. Using items derived from a corpus analysis of written accounts in the German language, five factors were derived (N = 195); that is, (a) cheerful-engaged; (b) whimsical; (c) creative-loving; (d) intellectual; and (e) impulsive. Their contents strongly overlap in comparison with an earlier study using this approach. However, the correlation of the intellectual component with two current measures of adult playfulness was low, and the impulsive component was not correlated with these measures. The question arises as to whether these aspects exist only as components in the implicit psychological and linguistic theories. The sense of humor was most strongly related with the cheerful-engaged factor while some “humor skills” were particularly related to other factors; for example, finding humor under stress with the intellectual component. This study helps toward a better understanding of the basic structure of playfulness in adults.

Learning to be funny in Spanish during study abroad: L2 humor development

The present study examines an area of SLA that has to date received little attention: the development of L2 humor. Both creation and comprehension of humor in an L2 can be challenging for learners, even those with advanced proficiency (e.g., Bell, 2005; Shardakova, 2010). At the same time, learners at all proficiency levels have been shown to use L2 humor and research suggests that with increased proficiency and exposure to the language, learners can develop their L2 humor abilities (Bell, 2005; Davies, 2003, 2005; Shardakova, 2010). Previous research, however, has not examined the processes by which L2 learners develop their humor skills. Using a language socialization framework, the present article analyzes a case study of one study abroad student who developed his ability to be funny in Spanish conversations with age peers during one semester in Spain. Factors that may have been associated with a reduction in failed humor over time included developing friendships, eliminating deadpan humor, and revoicing the words, expressions, and ways of speaking in the L2 to which the learner was exposed during study abroad.

Humor en mediation

Humour and mediation Humour adds to a successful mediation process. Humour creates energy. Intuitively it feels as the right thing to do because it tones down the positions in the conflict. Applying humour as a communication skill can smooth out the rough edges in the difficult phases of the dialogue.The paper starts out with a brief description of the communicative skills that can be used in the domain of humour. In the main body of the paper the author explains his view on the productive relationship between humour and mediation. The effectiveness of humour as communication skill depends on the degree to which the mediator is aware of her or his mediation style.The process and the result of the mediation as a whole depend upon a number of conditions: the quality of the communication, the symmetry in the context, a flexible goal orientation and putting issues into perspective. As a mediator one needs to be sure about one’s humour skills before applying them in a real life mediation.

Promoting emotional well-being through the use of humour

Humour skills programmes are believed to assist in improving emotional well-being by increasing self-efficacy, positive thinking, optimism and perceptions of control, while decreasing negative thinking, perceptions of stress, depression, anxiety and stress. The study aims to evaluate a programme investigating this possibility. Volunteers from the community (37 females and 18 males, aged M = 38 years) were randomly assigned to a humour group, a social group or a non-intervention control group. The programme, consisting of a manual and a booklet of measures assessing indices of well-being, was administered over an 8-week period. Data were collected at baseline, post programme and at 3-month follow-up. Results revealed that unlike the control and social groups, the humour group demonstrated a significant increase in several indices of emotional well-being. Specifically, increases occurred with self-efficacy, positive affect, optimism and perceptions of control, while decreases were found in perceived stress, depression, anxiety and stress levels.

Implementation of a manual-based training of humor abilities in patients with depression: A pilot study

Implementation of a manual-based training of humor abilities in patients with depression: A pilot study

Bullying: It's not just a school problem

Bullying: It's not just a school problem

Book Review: School Days, Fun Days: Creative Ways to Teach Humor Skills in the Classroom

Book Review: School Days, Fun Days: Creative Ways to Teach Humor Skills in the Classroom

Humour in University and Corporate Training: A Comparison of Trainer Perceptions

This article compares the humour used in university and corporate training programmes and discusses survey implications. Based on a survey of 183 university business professors and 243 corporate trainers, both groups were found to use similar types of humour (e.g. short stories, exaggeration), have similar reasons for using humour (e.g. help trainees relax, keep training interesting), and use humour in similar settings (e.g. humour occurs in lectures most often). Based on survey results and a literature review, both groups should consider making their humour understandable, non‐coercive, and relevant to the training situation. University and corporate trainers should also listen to what types of humour can be students like. Practising humour can be a way to gain these humour skills.