An analysis of humor orientation on Facebook: A lens model approach
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Natalie Pennington
Natalie Pennington (MA Kansas State University) is a doctoral candidate in the Department of Communication Studies at The University of Kansas. Her research focuses on interpersonal communication online through social media, and more specifically, impression management, social support, and relational development. E-mail: natpen@ku.edu
and
Jeffrey A. Hall
Jeffrey A. Hall (PhD University of Southern California) is an associate professor in the Department of Communication Studies at The University of Kansas. His research focuses on dating and flirting, friendship, online communication, humor in long term relationships, and homophobia and masculinity. E-mail: hallj@ku.edu
Abstract
This article presents the results of a mixed method analysis of the use and perception of humor orientation (HO) on Facebook (FB) profiles (N = 100). Results of the lens model analysis suggest that a variety of profile cues, not just those directly related to humor, are used by FB users to demonstrate HO and by observers to perceive HO. Cues used by profile owners and perceived by strangers as indicative of a humorous disposition include: status updates that contained relational talk, humor in profile pictures, humor in quotes, the number of times FB friends “liked” status updates, and the number of unique friends who commented on status updates. Additionally, political talk in status updates was negatively related to users' HO and observers' impressions of users' HO. A qualitative thematic analysis of the FB profiles was then conducted. Those analyses suggested that cues diagnostic of users' HO thematically focused on daily life events, popculture references, and selfrelated anecdotes. Implications for the expression of and perception of humor on FB are discussed.
About the authors
Natalie Pennington (MA Kansas State University) is a doctoral candidate in the Department of Communication Studies at The University of Kansas. Her research focuses on interpersonal communication online through social media, and more specifically, impression management, social support, and relational development. E-mail: natpen@ku.edu
Jeffrey A. Hall (PhD University of Southern California) is an associate professor in the Department of Communication Studies at The University of Kansas. His research focuses on dating and flirting, friendship, online communication, humor in long term relationships, and homophobia and masculinity. E-mail: hallj@ku.edu
©2014 by Walter de Gruyter Berlin/Boston
Articles in the same Issue
- Frontmatter
- An analysis of humor orientation on Facebook: A lens model approach
- The state-of-the art in gelotophobia research: A review and some theoretical extensions
- The interpersonal meaning of humor styles
- Does a humorous element characterize embarrassment?
- Impacts of humor and relevance on the remembering of lecture details
- Humor and laughter in Japanese groups: The kuuki of negotiations
- School-age children talking about humor: Data from focus groups
- Danish humor in cross-cultural professional settings: linguistic and social aspects
- Book Review
- Book Review
- Book Review
- Book Review
- Book Review
- Acknowledgement of referees
Articles in the same Issue
- Frontmatter
- An analysis of humor orientation on Facebook: A lens model approach
- The state-of-the art in gelotophobia research: A review and some theoretical extensions
- The interpersonal meaning of humor styles
- Does a humorous element characterize embarrassment?
- Impacts of humor and relevance on the remembering of lecture details
- Humor and laughter in Japanese groups: The kuuki of negotiations
- School-age children talking about humor: Data from focus groups
- Danish humor in cross-cultural professional settings: linguistic and social aspects
- Book Review
- Book Review
- Book Review
- Book Review
- Book Review
- Acknowledgement of referees
