Humor styles, optimism, and their relationships with distress among undergraduates in three Chinese cities

Chau-Kiu Cheung; Xiao Dong Yue

doi:10.1515/humor-2013-0015

Article

Humor styles, optimism, and their relationships with distress among undergraduates in three Chinese cities

Chau-Kiu Cheung
Chau-Kiu (Jacky) Cheung is Associate Professor at the Department of Applied Social Studies at the City University of Hong Kong.
and Xiao Dong Yue
Xiao Dong Yue is Associate Professor at the Department of Applied Social Studies at the City University of Hong Kong. He was the convener of the 2010 ISHS conference.

Published/Copyright: May 10, 2013

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From the journal Humor Volume 26 Issue 2

Abstract

The supposed benefit of humor for the relief of distress has not been demonstrated with certainty amongst Chinese people. In particular, an empirical study of this benefit is necessary in order to clarify the differential effects of different styles of humor, after controlling for optimism. With this aim, the present study investigates the effects based on data from 493 university students in three Chinese cities, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, and Macau. Results reveal some negative and positive effects of different humor styles on distress, independently of effects due to optimism. These effects did not vary among the three cities. Nevertheless, some limitations of the effects of humor are notable.

Keywords: humor styles; optimism; distress

Department of Applied Social Studies, City University of Hong Kong

About the authors

Chau-Kiu Cheung

Chau-Kiu (Jacky) Cheung is Associate Professor at the Department of Applied Social Studies at the City University of Hong Kong.

Xiao Dong Yue

Xiao Dong Yue is Associate Professor at the Department of Applied Social Studies at the City University of Hong Kong. He was the convener of the 2010 ISHS conference.

Published Online: 2013-05-10

Published in Print: 2013-05-20

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Articles in the same Issue

https://doi.org/10.1515/humor-2013-0015

Keywords for this article

humor styles; optimism; distress