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“It’s funny if the group says so”: Group norms moderate disparaging humor appreciation

  • Catalina Argüello Gutiérrez

    Catalina Argüello Gutiérrez has a PhD from the School of Psychology at the University of Granada (Spain). She received her doctoral training in social psychology and methodology. Her research interests include social functions of humour on intergroup relations, and applied health and community psychology.

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    , Hugo Carretero-Dios

    Hugo Carretero-Dios is a senior lecturer in research methods in psychology in the Department Methodology in Behavioural Sciences at the University of Granada (Spain). His research interests include the test construction/adaptation, and examining the role of humor as a social and individual difference variable.

    , Guillermo B. Willis

    Guillermo B. Willis is a senior lecturer in psychology in the Department Social Psychology at the University of Granada (Spain). His research interests include intergroup relations, organizational psychology and social inequality.

    and Miguel Moya Morales

    Miguel Moya Morales is a professor in psychology in the Department Social Psychology at the University of Granada (Spain). His research interests include stereotyping and prejudice, psychological impact of economic inequalities.

From the journal HUMOR

Abstract

We tested the hypothesis that group norms would have an effect on humor appreciation, specifically on ingroup disparaging humor. In this study (N=195), participants were exposed to two humor conditions (neutral or ingroup disparaging humor) and to two group norms regarding humor appreciation (favoring or rejecting). Favoring group norm had a direct effect on the funniness scores. Moreover, an interaction effect of group norm and type of humor was found on the humor appreciation. When the group norm was rejecting, appreciation of the two different types of humor was different, whereas in the favoring group norm, no statistically significant differences were observed. Additionally, for the disparaging humor exposure, a favoring group norm promoted a greater acceptation of the stereotypical characteristics presented in the disparaging humor as realistic and representative of the ingroup. These results suggest that group norms act as important contextual information that influences disparaging humor appreciation.

About the authors

Catalina Argüello Gutiérrez

Catalina Argüello Gutiérrez has a PhD from the School of Psychology at the University of Granada (Spain). She received her doctoral training in social psychology and methodology. Her research interests include social functions of humour on intergroup relations, and applied health and community psychology.

Hugo Carretero-Dios

Hugo Carretero-Dios is a senior lecturer in research methods in psychology in the Department Methodology in Behavioural Sciences at the University of Granada (Spain). His research interests include the test construction/adaptation, and examining the role of humor as a social and individual difference variable.

Guillermo B. Willis

Guillermo B. Willis is a senior lecturer in psychology in the Department Social Psychology at the University of Granada (Spain). His research interests include intergroup relations, organizational psychology and social inequality.

Miguel Moya Morales

Miguel Moya Morales is a professor in psychology in the Department Social Psychology at the University of Granada (Spain). His research interests include stereotyping and prejudice, psychological impact of economic inequalities.

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Published Online: 2018-06-30
Published in Print: 2018-07-26

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