Humor Research Articles

Negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on nurses can be buffered by a sense of humor and appreciation

BackgroundThe first analyses of the various consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic show that the risk to nurses’ psychological well-being is particularly high. As the pandemic and the demands imposed on nurses are not yet fully understood, there is a need to seek buffering factors to protect nurses’ psychological health. In line with the earliest evidence, we hypothesize pandemic-related increases in perceived stress and decreases in the frequency of flow experiences, likewise in satisfaction with work, life, work performance, and well-being. As protective factors while dealing with pandemic-related stress, we suggest an individual’s sense of humor and perceived appreciation.MethodsIn June/July 2020 – during the first lockdown in Germany – participants completed an online-survey in which they were asked to rate their situation before the pandemic (retrospectively) and during the pandemic. Our sample consisted of 174 registered nurses (161 females, 13 males, Mage = 40.52), of whom 85 worked as public health nurses and 89 as geriatric nurses.ResultsDuring the pandemic, nurses felt more stressed, had fewer flow experiences, and were less satisfied with their work, life, work-performance, and well-being than before the pandemic. In addition, nurses felt more appreciation from society but less from their patients. Sense of humor and the perceived appreciation of society and patients were confirmed as buffers of negative pandemic-related effects.ConclusionOur study contributes to the so far scarce knowledge on nurses’ pandemic-related stress and well-being in combination with their resources. Moreover, we were able to identify sense of humor and appreciation as protective factors.

National character in the allegorical prose of M. Tarkovsky and A. Bushkovsky

This article analyzes the Russian national character as the main theme in the works of M. Tarkovsky and A. Bushkovsky. The criteria for selecting the research material is the date of publication (2019) and the presence of an allegorical plot, which depicts the traditionalism, spirituality, controversy, and at the same time holism, sense of humor, and depth of national character. The author views national character as the foundation of artistic world in the allegorical prose; as well as gives characteristics to the key motifs, such as faith, labor, challenges, antagonism of the alien, unfamiliar to a Russian person. The article employs the systemic-holistic approach towards revealing the typological features of the modern traditionalist prose by M. Tarkovsky and A. Bushkovsky. The research is based on the comparativism, which allows determining the common trends and uniqueness of both authors. The article identifies the invariant constructions and images (portrait, landscape, detail, language). The elements of biographical method are used for correlating the hero with personal experience and worldview of the author. The structural-semantic method allows focusing on the aesthetic object, revealing the semantic meaning of methods used by the writers to create the image. Hermeneutics characterizes the allegory and symbol as fundamental means of expressing the authorial intentions, which reflect the ideological and aesthetic changes in the literary system. This article is first to analyze the literary texts of modern authors from the perspective of ethnopoetics.

Obituary Philippe Picard (23 February 1939–20 January 2021)

Philippe Picard, whose sense of humour and administrative acumen helped bridge many a gap between homeopathic and non-homeopathic colleagues, departed this sphere during the first month of 2021.

A study to assess positive thinking and social, emotional, academic adjustment among nursing students studying in a selected college of nursing Ludhiana, Punjab

Introduction: Positive thinking is an approach in which the individual enjoys the appropriate internal balance, get motivated & have satisfactory sense of humour. Students with positive thinking make an accurate judgement about their real problem and have social, emotional and academic adjustment which enable them to cope with college environment. Aim: To assess positive thinking and social, emotional, academic adjustment among nursing students and to prepare and disseminate IEC material (pamphlet) regarding positive thinking skills among nursing students.Methodology: A quantitative research approach & non-experimental descriptive survey design was used to assess positive thinking and social, emotional, academic adjustment. Data was collected from 400 nursing students of DMCH College of nursing, Ludhiana by using non-probability total enumerative sampling technique. Responses were collected on Modified PTSS (North side counselling) and Modified AICS (A.K.P. Sinha, 1980). Data was tabulated & analysed by using descriptive & inferential statistics.Results: The study revealed that majority (49%) of the nursing students were in the age group of 20 – 22 years, (91.8%) female, (63%) from Sikh religion, (71%) from nuclear family, (93.8%) parents were living together, (26.2%) from B.Sc. (N) 1st year, (78.8%) were hostellers, (44%) were hostellers and (43.2%) were slept for more than 7 hours, (45.5%) had academic achievement 60% - 70%, (78.2%) were not attended any motivational training program, (50.5%) from middle class family. Conclusion: The present study concluded that maximum of the nursing students had positive thinking and had average social, emotional, academic adjustment. There was a positive association between positive thinking and social, emotional, academic adjustment among nursing students.

Touring the Screen: Cinematic Resonances of Diaghilev's Ballets Russes

Touring the Screen: Cinematic Resonances of Diaghilev's Ballets Russes

How cognitive, social, and emotional profiles impact humor appreciation: sense of humor in autism spectrum disorder and Williams syndrome

Abstract Humor is a complex and multi-faceted phenomenon composed of a variety of cognitive, social, and emotional processes. This paper will discuss humor appreciation in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and individuals with Williams syndrome (WS), a rare genetic disorder mainly characterized by intellectual disabilities, high social approach tendencies and high positive emotions. Drawing on research on the comprehension and appreciation of humor in individuals with ASD, this paper aims to better understand how the particular cognitive, social, and emotional profile of individuals with WS might affect their appreciation of humor and how such research could ultimately lead to a greater understanding of the nature of humor.

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.

From Old Tom Morris to Andy Murray: an examination of the Scottishness of Scotland’s sporting celebrities

ABSTRACT This paper examines the concept of the sports celebrity in the context of Scotland with a specific focus on the impact of localised national discourses on their formation. Relatively few Scottish athletes have become celebrities perhaps because traditional Scottish cultural values have militated against the cultural elevation even of the most successful individuals. Having explained the cultural context, the paper proceeds to consider the role of Scotland’s golfing pioneers. There follows an examination of the significance of personal tragedy in the construction of other Scottish sports celebrities, with a particular emphasis on football based on nuanced, culturally specific and personal insights into Scottish society. The final section of the paper examines the celebrity status of a tennis player, Andy Murray, arguably Scotland’s greatest ever athlete. Tragedy, political acuity and a wry sense of humour have been combined in Murray’s celebrityhood which has, in turn, been consistently influenced by his dealings with the relationship between Britishness and Scottishness. The main theoretical contribution of the paper is situated in the argument that, although typologies of sports celebrity can be useful, we should not lose sight of the significance of local specificities, with the celebrities who are discussed belonging to three distinct eras in Scottish political development.

“Where Children Play Among the Ruins of the Language”: A Nest of Ninnies and the Literary Legacies of New York Dada

Narration and dialogues in A Nest of Ninnies rely largely on linguistic equivalents of what are known as “found objects,” or “ready mades,” in the visual arts. This endows Ashbery’s and Schuyler’s novel with a sense of humor much like the one developed by the New York Dadaists in the years 1916-1920. Because of the high incidence of camp humor in the novel, affinities between it, as well as the camp aesthetic more generally, and the New York version of Dada, may be seen. Yet the principal claim of the article is that this novel is part of the literary legacy of New York Dada, a movement significantly different from the original Dada of Zurich.

Editorial

Editorial

Faktor Penyebab Kesulitan Guru Membangun Hubungan Interpersonal dengan Siswa di Salah Satu SD Swasta Kabupaten Toraja Utara

This study aims to determine the factors that cause teachers to have difficulty in building interpersonal relationships with students. This study used qualitative research methods. The informants of this study were classroom teachers, student teachers and students. Data collection techniques used are observation, interviews and documentation. Based on data analysis shows teachers still have difficulty building interpersonal relationships with students, this is indicated by the results of research where teachers are still experiencing difficulties due to ineffective communication factors, empathy, sense of humor, positive reinforcement, familiarity, acceptance and teacher approach to students who less precise.

Vladimir Alexi‐Meskishvili (1941–2021)

Vladimir Alexi‐Meskishvili (1941–2021)

Self-fulfilling Versus Self-destructive Adolescents: Exploration of Relations among Resilience, Well-Being, and Life Satisfaction

This study examined the differences between adolescents with a self-fulfilling profile and those with a self-destructive profile in resilience, well-being, and satisfaction with life. The Resiliency Attitudes and Skills Profile (De Caroli & Sagone, 2014a) was used to measure sense of humor, competence, adaptability, control, and engagement; the Life Satisfaction Scale (Di Fabio & Gori, 2016), the Psychological Well-Being Scale (Ryff & Keyes, 1995) was used to explore general psychological well-being; the Positive (PA) and Negative (NA) Affect Scale (Di Fabio & Bucci, 2015) was applied to measure the two opposite affective profiles, self-fulfilling (high PA and low NA) and self-destructive profile (low PA and high NA). Results showed that adolescents with a self-fulfilling profile reported higher resilience, life satisfaction, psychological well-being than those with a self-destructive profile. Future research could deep protective factors of self-fulfilling profile and risk factors of self-destructive profile in adolescence.

Dr Allan C. Prentice, MBCHB, CIH, FFOM (1960–2021)

Dr Allan C. Prentice, Lead Physician and Responsible Officer for International SOS (Medical Services) UK Limited, died suddenly and unexpectedly on 20th May 2021, in his 33rd year as an Occupational Health Physician. Allan spent his early years in Shetland and Edinburgh, before attending Madras College in St Andrews for his secondary education. He attended Dundee University, graduating in 1982, after hospital and general practice experience he joined Offshore Medical Support (OMS) in Aberdeen in August 1988 in an approved training post for Occupational Medicine, under the supervision of Dr W J Gunnyeon, obtaining his AFOM in 1989, his MFOM in 1998 and then later becoming FFOM. Allan worked through the many iterations of OMS—Liberty, Aon, Capita Energy Services, Iqarus Limited and more recently International SOS (Medical Services) UK Limited. He worked in all areas of Occupational Medicine but had most involvement in the offshore services, including the Topside Medical Emergency Service and the Diving Medical Service, remaining active in both on-call rotas throughout his professional career. Allan also provided medical advisory services to many of the North Sea operators, as well as to the local councils, the University of Aberdeen and the local paper industry. His advice was universally respected, and he was known for his unflappable nature and his quiet sense of humour.

A Pediatrician, a Resident, and a Medical Student Walk Into a Clinic: The Role of Humor in Clinical Teaching.

Never upset a pediatrician. They have very little patients. Egerton Yorick Davis It is often said that laughter is the best medicine (not true, it’s actually amoxicillin). But how often do we consider the power of laughter or, more broadly, the role of humor in our teaching of medicine? When executed well, humor can increase learner engagement and participation, cultivate relationships, foster an effective learning environment, and increase satisfaction during teaching encounters.1,2 It may also calm students’ anxieties and result in a more approachable dynamic between learner and instructor.3 There is some, albeit weak, evidence that humor can lead to improved learning, particularly if that humor is directly relevant to the topic.2 There is also evidence that the prudent use of the right kind of humor can increase engagement and participation during university lectures.1 Overall, humor is identified as a key contributor to teaching effectiveness. This article continues the series by the Council on Medical Student Education in Pediatrics by exploring the role humor plays in medical education. Humor is defined as a funny or amusing quality, whereas a sense of humor is defined as the ability to be funny or to be amused by things that are funny. Despite the seemingly innocuous nature of humor, historically humor has generally received a bad reputation in professional settings.4 Humor can increase group cohesion, bring individuals together, and alleviate tension. On the other hand, it can disparage others, create misunderstandings, or foster isolation and division and thus hinder the learning environment. So how is it that sometimes humor is amusing and other times it is offensive? … Address correspondence to Robert A. Dudas, MD, Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, 601 5th Ave S, Room 5206, St Petersburg, FL 33701. E-mail: rdudas{at}jhmi.edu

Building Resilience in Our Children for the Aftereffects of COVID-19

Building Resilience in Our Children for the Aftereffects of COVID-19

Relationship between Mental Wellbeing and Sense of Humour among Workers in the Workplace: The Moderating Role of Psychological Breach of Contract and Violation

This study investigated the moderating role of psychological breach of contract and violation on the relationship between mental wellbeing and sense of humour among workers of T-Man Nigeria LTD, Enugu state. A total of one hundred and seven (107) participants (44; 41.1 % males and 63; 58.9% females) participated in the study. Participants were drawn using convenience sampling technique and were administered questionnaire during their break period. Three instruments were used in data collation namely; the Coping Humour Scale (CHS), Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (AWEMWBS) and Psychological Contract Breach and Violation Scale (PCBVS). Two hypotheses were tested and the results showed that sense of humor significantly and positively correlated with psychological well-being at r=1.00, while psychological contract significantly moderated the relationship between sense of humor and psychological wellbeing (f-change= .000, p< .05). The findings indicate that the presence of sense of humour will always increase the levels of psychological well-being and existence of psychological contract breach will always influence the relationship between sense of humor and psychological well-being.

How Do Polish Students Manage Emotional Distress during the COVID-19 Lockdown? A Web-Based Cross-Sectional Study.

Choices regarding coping strategies during the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak may imply the development as well as the severity of emotional disorders. The aim of this web-based cross-sectional study was to: (1) assess the coping strategies for stress in a population of Polish students and (2) evaluate the impact of those strategies on the severity of depression, stress, and anxiety symptoms during the COVID-19 lockdown. To evaluate emotional distress, we used the DASS-21 scale and coping strategies Brief-COPE Inventory. The study included 2172 respondents (73% female, 27% male) with a mean age of 22.1 ± 2.2. Students more frequently chose stress coping strategies belonging to the ‘approach’ coping strategies (M = 29.60 ± 6.89) compared to ‘avoidant’ coping strategies (M = 22.82 ± 5.78). The intensification of distress in women caused a turn to religion (p = 0.001), while men used substances (p < 0.001) and a sense of humor (p < 0.001). Medical students coped best with emotional distress, which is very encouraging for their future profession. The highest level of DASS total score was associated with the usage of avoidant coping strategies, prior use of psychiatric or psychological support, and loneliness. Planning interventions to prevent emotional disorders in students requires the identification of factors contributing to increased emotional distress.

Homosexual Desire in the Poetry of Blai Bonet

This article examines the interplay between homosexual desire and anxiety in the poetry of Blai Bonet, one of the most important, complex, and problematic figures in modern Catalan literature. Bonet is usually presented as a homosexual author, but the way his poetry articulates same-sex desire is far from straightforward. Critics have highlighted the sensuality and eroticism of his poetry, as well as the importance of mysticism and Catholic imagery. However, a specific analysis of homosexual desire in Bonet’s poetry has never been undertaken. Through a psychoanalytically-oriented reading of various poems by Bonet, this essay traces the movement and the effect of anxiety in a textual corpus characterised by a tension between a body mortified by pain, illness, and guilt, and an ecstatic body that seeks satisfaction in the social underworld, in voyeurism and fantasy, and in textual play. Blai Bonet’s literary project promotes a textual revolution through the dissolution of genres and the proliferation of voices: he defines himself as “a poet without intimacy” whose work performs a radical dispersal of the subject, yet paradoxically his own name is constantly enunciated in the poems, while his body remains silent, concealed behind ellipses or in elusive references to (gay) sex. This article argues that following the trace of anxiety in Bonet’s poetry allows us to move towards the locus where he confronts the complexities of his desire: through an act of sublimation that restates the sexual in creative life, Bonet turns anxiety into comedy, guilt into a sense of humour, and textual experimentation into a form of ascesis.

No news, no excitement, no creativity: Moderating roles of adaptive humour and proactivity

When employees believe that organizational authorities are engaged in unfair information provision, it might evoke some negative behavioural responses, like diminished creativity. But when and why are such responses more likely? To answer these questions, the current study investigates the mediating role of job dissatisfaction in the relationship between unfair organizational information provision and creative behaviour, as well as the moderating roles of employees' own adaptive humour and proactivity. Survey data, collected from employees who operate in the oil and gas sector, reveal that employees' convictions that organizational leaders are not open in their communication can prompt them to avoid creative work activities, because these employees become unhappy with their jobs. This mediating role of job dissatisfaction is less salient if they have a good sense of humour and like to take initiative though. Organizations therefore should take these findings as a relevant caution: Lack of excitement about their jobs, as informed by organizational information deficiencies, can make employees complacent. To address this potentially negative outcome, organizations might help employees leverage their own valuable personal resources.