Putting the “self” in self-deprecation: When deprecating humor about minorities is acceptable

Morgan Ellithorpe; Sarah Esralew; Lance Holbert

doi:10.1515/humor-2014-0070

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Putting the “self” in self-deprecation: When deprecating humor about minorities is acceptable

Morgan Ellithorpe
Morgan Ellithorpe is a doctoral candidate in the School of Communication at the Ohio State University
, Sarah Esralew
Sarah Esralew received her M. A. from the School of Communication at the Ohio State University in 2013 and is currently a Research Analyst with RRC associates.
and Lance Holbert
Lance Holbert is a Professor and Chair of the Department of Strategic Communication in the College of Media and Communication at Temple University.

Published/Copyright: August 1, 2014

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From the journal HUMOR Volume 27 Issue 3

Abstract

This study tested how source knowledge affects enjoyment of self-deprecating humor about a minority group. Participants made aware that the source of a message poking fun at people with disabilities was himself disabled had more positive evaluations of the cartoon and author than participants unaware of his disability. Participants initially given no source information judged the author more positively the second time when they were given follow-up source information. Finally, some effects were moderated by the disability status of the message receiver, such that having a disability or knowing someone who does predicted higher liking of the cartoons when the author is disabled but lower liking when he is not. The results suggest a role for self-deprecating humor in intergroup relations, and predict when such humor will be accepted by minority and non-minority group members.

Keywords: humor; political cartoons; self-deprecation; stereotypes

About the authors

Morgan Ellithorpe

Morgan Ellithorpe is a doctoral candidate in the School of Communication at the Ohio State University

Sarah Esralew

Sarah Esralew received her M. A. from the School of Communication at the Ohio State University in 2013 and is currently a Research Analyst with RRC associates.

Lance Holbert

Lance Holbert is a Professor and Chair of the Department of Strategic Communication in the College of Media and Communication at Temple University.

Published Online: 2014-8-1

Published in Print: 2014-8-1

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Articles in the same Issue

https://doi.org/10.1515/humor-2014-0070

Keywords for this article

humor; political cartoons; self-deprecation; stereotypes