Humor use, reactions to social comments, and social anxiety

Nicholas A. Kuiper; Audrey Aiken; Maria Sol Pound

doi:10.1515/humor-2014-0072

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Article

Humor use, reactions to social comments, and social anxiety

Nicholas A. Kuiper
Nick Kuiper has been a professor of clinical psychology at the University of Western Ontario for over 35 years. During this time he has conducted a number of studies on humor and its relationship with many other constructs, including coping, resilience, cognitive appraisals, self-concept, and psychological well-being.
, Audrey Aiken
Audrey Aiken recently received her MA in Clinical Psychology from the University of British Columbia. Her research interests involve exploring the role of social anxiety in interpersonal relationships.
and Maria Sol Pound
Maria Sol Pound is currently completing her PhD degree in Clinical Psychology at the University of Western Ontario. Her research interests include humor and social support processes in close relationships.

Published/Copyright: August 1, 2014

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From the journal HUMOR Volume 27 Issue 3

Abstract

This study investigated how the use of different humor styles by individuals described as being either socially anxious or non-anxious can have an impact on the perceptions and evaluations made by others about these individuals. Participants read a set of scenarios describing brief interactions with a casual acquaintance (either socially anxious or non-anxious) who made four different types of social comments (affiliative, self-enhancing, aggressive or self-defeating). When the affiliative and self-enhancing comments were delivered humorously, participants indicated more positive evaluations and less social rejection of the casual acquaintance. This finding was obtained for both the socially anxious and non-anxious casual acquaintances. In contrast, the use of self-defeating comments, both with or without humor, was particularly detrimental to evaluations of the socially anxious acquaintance. In addition, participants were generally less interested in future interactions with a socially anxious acquaintance, and rated themselves more negatively when this acquaintance was portrayed as being socially anxious. Discussion focused on the pervasive role of humor in facilitating more positive reactions and responses to social comments made by both socially anxious and non-anxious individuals.

Keywords: humor styles; social comments; social interactions; social anxiety

About the authors

Nicholas A. Kuiper

Nick Kuiper has been a professor of clinical psychology at the University of Western Ontario for over 35 years. During this time he has conducted a number of studies on humor and its relationship with many other constructs, including coping, resilience, cognitive appraisals, self-concept, and psychological well-being.

Audrey Aiken

Audrey Aiken recently received her MA in Clinical Psychology from the University of British Columbia. Her research interests involve exploring the role of social anxiety in interpersonal relationships.

Maria Sol Pound

Maria Sol Pound is currently completing her PhD degree in Clinical Psychology at the University of Western Ontario. Her research interests include humor and social support processes in close relationships.

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-2014-0072

Keywords for this article

humor styles; social comments; social interactions; social anxiety