How virtuous are gelotophobes? Self- and peer-reported character strengths among those who fear being laughed at
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René T. Proyer
Abstract
In this study we combine variables that make our lives most worth living with the fear of being laughed at. Peterson and Seligman (Character Strengths and Virtues: A Handbook and Classification, American Psychological Association, 2004) suggested a classification of 24 strengths of character and six virtues. The virtues are universally evaluated positively across different countries and cultures. A sample of N = 346 participants allowed the examination of correlations between self- and peer-reported character strengths and gelotophobia. The results indicate that gelotophobia is negatively related to overall virtuousness in self-reports and in the same direction but less so in peer-reports. The rank-order of the character strengths showed that mainly modesty and prudence (both of the virtue of temperance) were positively correlated with gelotophobia (this was also supported by peer-reports). Gelotophobia was mainly negatively related to hope/optimism, curiosity, bravery, love, and zest. The analysis of mean score differences revealed that in some cases the mean scores for the peer-reports of character strengths were higher for the highest scoring gelotophobes than for the less gelotophobic and even lower or equal to the mean scores of the non-gelotophobes. This unexpected finding cannot be fully explained and needs to be addressed in follow-up studies. The results of the study clearly indicate that it is worthwhile to study gelotophobia in its relation to variables of positive psychological functioning.
© 2009 by Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co. KG, D-10785 Berlin
Articles in the same Issue
- Fearing humor? Gelotophobia: The fear of being laughed at Introduction and overview
- Gelotophobia: The fear of being laughed at
- Humor theory and the fear of being laughed at
- How do gelotophobes interpret laughter in ambiguous situations? An experimental validation of the concept
- The emotions of gelotophobes: Shameful, fearful, and joyless?
- Investigating the humor of gelotophobes: Does feeling ridiculous equal being humorless?
- How virtuous are gelotophobes? Self- and peer-reported character strengths among those who fear being laughed at
- Intelligence and gelotophobia: The relations of self-estimated and Psychometrically measured intelligence to the fear of being laughed at
- Extending the study of gelotophobia: On gelotophiles and katagelasticists
- Were they really laughed at? That much? Gelotophobes and their history of perceived derisibility
- The fear of being laughed at among psychiatric patients
- Breaking ground in cross-cultural research on the fear of being laughed at (gelotophobia): A multi-national study involving 73 countries
Articles in the same Issue
- Fearing humor? Gelotophobia: The fear of being laughed at Introduction and overview
- Gelotophobia: The fear of being laughed at
- Humor theory and the fear of being laughed at
- How do gelotophobes interpret laughter in ambiguous situations? An experimental validation of the concept
- The emotions of gelotophobes: Shameful, fearful, and joyless?
- Investigating the humor of gelotophobes: Does feeling ridiculous equal being humorless?
- How virtuous are gelotophobes? Self- and peer-reported character strengths among those who fear being laughed at
- Intelligence and gelotophobia: The relations of self-estimated and Psychometrically measured intelligence to the fear of being laughed at
- Extending the study of gelotophobia: On gelotophiles and katagelasticists
- Were they really laughed at? That much? Gelotophobes and their history of perceived derisibility
- The fear of being laughed at among psychiatric patients
- Breaking ground in cross-cultural research on the fear of being laughed at (gelotophobia): A multi-national study involving 73 countries
