Indian Journal of Positive Psychology

Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Subscription Access
Open Access Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Restricted Access Subscription Access

Do Humour Styles have a Relation with Self-esteem? A Scoping Review


Affiliations
1 Amity Institute of Behavioral & Allied Sciences, Amity University Maharashtra, India
     

   Subscribe/Renew Journal


Humour is one of the mesmerizing qualities possessed by human beings which provides a positive and funny outlook towards the stressful events that take place in one's life, making the coping process efficient. According to the studies conducted earlier, humour has been conceptualized as a multi-faceted construct, with adaptive and maladaptive styles of humour. The affiliative and self-enhancing styles of humour have been studied to be beneficial for mental health. Whereas, the aggressive and self-defeating styles of humour are considered to be detrimental to it. This research theorized that there is an association between the styles of humour and the types of self-esteem, which has been supported by various studies. The findings indicate that both types of self-esteem are positively associated with the self-enhancing and affiliative styles of humour and negatively associated with self-defeating humour. The possible positive relation between aggressive style of humour and explicit self-esteem is also discussed along with the implication of humour in various fields.


Keywords

Humour Styles, Implicit And Explicit Self-Esteem, Humour Research.
Subscription Login to verify subscription
User
Notifications
Font Size


  • Al-Ameedi, R. T. K., & Abdulmajeed, R. K. (2016). Persuasion in Jesus Christ's humour: A linguistic analysis. Open Journal of Modern Linguistics, 06(02), 71-84. https://doi.org/10.4236/ojml.2016.62007

  • Beermann, U., & Ruch, W. (2009). How virtuous is humor? What we can learn from current instruments. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 4(6), 528-539. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760903262859

  • Bennett, M. P., & Lengacher, C. (2009). Humor and laughter may influence health IV. Humor and immune function. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 6(2), 159-164. https://doi.org/10.1093/ecam/nem149

  • Berk, R. A., & Nanda, J. P. (1998). Effects of jocular instructional methods on attitudes, anxiety, and achievement in statistics courses. Humor-International Journal of Humor Research, 11(4), 83-89. https://doi.org/10.1515/humr.1998.11.4.383

  • Bernet, W. (1993). Humor in evaluating and treating children and adolescents. Journal of Psychotherapy Practice and Research, 2(4), 307-317.

  • Beusekom-Fretz, G. V. (1973). De democratisering van het geluk, v. Loghem Slaterus, Deventer.

  • Blanchard, A. L., Stewart, O. J., Cann, A., & Follman, L. (2014). Making sense of humor at work. The Psychologist-Manager Journal, 17(1), 49-70. https://doi.org/10.1037 /mgr0000011

  • Bloch, S. (1987). Humor in group therapy. In W. F. Fry and W. A. Salameh (Eds.), Handbook of humor and psychotherapy: Advances in the clinical use of humor (pp. 171-194). Sarasota, FL: Professional Resource Exchange.

  • Broeck, A. V. D., Else, T. V., Dikkers, J. S. E., de Lange, A. H., & Witte, H. D. (2012). This is funny: On the beneficial role of self-enhancing and affiliative humour in job design. Psicothema, 24(1), 87-93. ISSN:0214-9915

  • Brown, J. D. (1993). Self-esteem and self-evaluation: Feeling is believing. In Suls, J. (2016). Psychological perspectives on the self: The self in social perspective (1st ed., Volume 4). Psychology Press.

  • Brown, J. D., & Marshall, M. A. (2006). The three faces of self-esteem. In M. H. Kernis (Ed.), Self-esteem issues and answers: A source book of current perspectives (pp. 4- 9). New York, NY, USA: Psychology Press.

  • Chen, G. H., & Martin, R. A. (2007). A comparison of humor styles, coping humor, and mental health between Chinese and Canadian university students. Humor International Journal of Humor Research, 20(3), 216-217. https://doi.org/10. 1515/humor.2007.011

  • Chrzanowski, G. (1981). The genesis and nature of self-esteem. American Journal of Psychotherapy, 35(1), 38-46. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.psychotherapy.19 81.35.1.38

  • Close, H. T. (1981). The experience of Joy. Journal of Pastoral Care, 35(3), 177-187. https://doi.org/10.1177/002234098103500305

  • Conway, R. (2012). Flourish: A new understanding of happiness and well-being and how to achieve them, by Martin E.P. Seligman. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 7(2), 159-161. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2011.614831

  • Cooper, C.D. (2005). Just joking around? Employee humor expression as an ingratiatory behavior. Academy of Management Review, 30(4), 765-776.

  • Cooperberg, D. M. (2010). Using humor to advance group work. In S. S. Fehr (Ed.), 101 interventions in group therapy (Rev., pp. 443-447). New York, NY: Routledge/Taylor & Francis.

  • Coopersmith, S. (1967). The antecedents of self-esteem. San Francisco: W. H. Freeman and Company.

  • Crawford, C. (1994). Theory and implications regarding the utilization of strategic humor by leaders. Journal of Leadership Studies, 1(4), 53-68. https://doi.org/10.11 77/107179199400100406

  • Cummins, R. A., & Nistico, H. (2002). Maintaining life satisfaction: The role of positive cognitive bias. Journal of Happiness Studies, 3(1), 37-69. https://doi.org/10.1 023/a:1015678915305

  • Davies, A. P., & Apter, M. J. (1980). Humour and its effect on learning in children. In P. E. McGhee and A. J. Chapman (Eds.), Children's humour (pp. 237-253). Chichester: John Wiley & Sons.

  • Dickens, C. (1843). A Christmas Carol. Sirius.

  • Diener, E. (1984). Subjective well-being. Psychological Bulletin, 95(3), 542-575. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.95.3.542

  • Diener, E., Diener, M., & Diener, C. (1995). Factors predicting the subjective well-being of nations. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 69, 851-864.

  • Ellis, A. (1995). Changing rational-emotive therapy (RET) to rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT). Journal of Rational-Emotive and Cognitive-Behavior Therapy, 13(2), 85-89. https://doi.org/10.1007/bf02354453

  • Farrelly, F., & Brandsma, J. (1974). Provocative therapy. Cupertino, CA: Meta Publications.

  • Farrelly, F., & Lynch, M. (1987). Humor in provocative therapy. In W. F. Fry and W. A. Salameh (Eds.), Handbook of humor and psychotherapy: Advances in the clinical use of humor (pp. 81-106). Sarasota, FL: Professional Resource Exchange.

  • Fry, W. F. (1994). The biology of humor. Humor-International Journal of Humor Research, 7(2), 112-114. https://doi.org/10.1515/humr.1994.7.2.111

  • Galloway, G., Cropley, A., & Cropley, A. J. (2001). Humour and mental health: Implications for psychotherapy. Journal of Baltic Psychology, 2, 5-14.

  • Goldings, H. J. (1954). On the avowal and projection of happiness. Journal of Personality, 23(1), 30-47. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-6494.1954.tb02336.x

  • Gonot-Schoupinsky, F. N., & Garip, G. (2018). Laughter and humour interventions for well-being in older adults: A systematic review and intervention classification. Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 38, 85-91. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ct im.2018.04.009

  • Gonot-Schoupinsky, F. N., & Garip, G. (2019). Prescribing laughter to increase well- being in healthy adults: An exploratory mixed methods feasibility study of the Laughie. European Journal of Integrative Medicine, 26, 56-64. https://doi.org/ 10.1016/j.eujim.2019.01.005

  • Gonot-Schoupinsky, F. N., Garip, G., & Sheffield, D. (2020a). Laughter and humour for personal development: A systematic scoping review of the evidence. European Journal of Integrative Medicine, 37, 101144. https://doi.org/10.1016/j .eujim.2020.101144

  • Gonot-Schoupinsky, F. N., Garip, G., Sheffield, D., Omar, O. M., & Arora, T. (2020b). Prescribing laughter to ameliorate mental health, sleep, and well-being in university students: A protocol for a feasibility study of a randomised controlled trial. Contemporary Clinical Trials Communications, 20, 100676. https://doi.org/10.10 16/j.conctc.2020.100676

  • Greenwald, A. G., & Banaji, M. R. (1995). Implicit social cognition: Attitudes, self- esteem, and stereotypes. Psychological Review, 102(1), 4-27. https://doi. Org/10.1037/0033-295x.102.1.4

  • Grover, S. (2010). “What's so funny?” The group leader's use of humor in adolescent groups. In S. S. Fehr (Ed.), 101 interventions in group therapy (Rev., pp. 87-91). New York, NY: Routledge/Taylor & Francis Group.

  • Holmes, J. (2000). Politeness, power and provocation: How humour functions in the workplace. Discourse Studies, 2(2), 159-185.

  • Holmes, J., & Marra, M. (2002). Having a laugh at work. Journal of Pragmatics, 34(12), 1683-1710. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0378-2166(02)00032-2

  • Kataria M (2011) Laugh for no reason (2011 version). Madhuri International, Lokhandwala Complex.

  • Kernis, M. H. (2003). Target article: Toward a conceptualization of optimal self-esteem. Psychological Inquiry, 14(1), 1-26. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327965pli1401_01

  • Konradt, B., Hirsch, R. D., Jonitz, M. F., & Junglas, K. (2012). Evaluation of a standardized humor group in a clinical setting: A feasibility study for older patients with depression. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 28(8), 850-857. https://doi.org/10.1002/gps.3893

  • Kopytin, A., & Lebedev, A. (2013). Humor, self-attitude, emotions, and cognitions in group art therapy with war veterans. Art Therapy, 30(1), 20-29. https://doi.org/10.1 080/07421656.2013.757758

  • Korobkin, D. (1988). Humor in the classroom: Considerations and strategies. College Teaching, 36(4), 154-158. Https://doi.org/10.1080/87567555.1988.10532139

  • Kuiper, N. A., Grimshaw, M., Leite, C., & Kirsh, G. (2004). Humor is not always the best medicine: Specific components of sense of humor and psychological well-being. Humor-International Journal of Humor Research, 17(12), 142-144. https://doi .org/10.1515/humr.2004.002

  • Kuiper, N. A., Martin, R. A., & Olinger, L. J. (1993). Coping humour, stress, and cognitive appraisals. Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science/Revue Canadienne Des Sciences Du Comportement, 25(1), 81-96. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0078791

  • Marks, N., & Shah, H. (2004). A well‐being manifesto for a flourishing society. Journal of Public Mental Health, 3(4), 9-15. Https://doi.org/10.1108/17465729200400023

  • Martin, R. A., & Ford, T. (2018). The psychology of humor: An integrative approach (2nd ed.). Academic Press.

  • Martin, R. A., Puhlik-Doris, P., Larsen, G., Gray, J., & Weir, K. (2003). Individual differences in uses of humor and their relation to psychological well-being: Development of the Humor Styles Questionnaire. Journal of Research in Personality, 37(1), 48-75. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0092-6566(02)00534-2

  • McGhee, P. (2010). Humor as survival training for a stressed-out world: The 7 humor habits program. Author House.

  • McGhee, P. E. (1996). Health, healing, and the amuse system: Humor as survival training (2nd ed.). Dubuque, Iowa: Kendall/Hunt.

  • McGhee, P. E. (2010). Humor: The lighter path to resilience and health. Bloomington: Author House.

  • Mendiburo-Seguel, A., Páez, D., & Martínez-Sánchez, F. (2015). Humor styles and personality: A meta-analysis of the relation between humor styles and the Big Five personality traits. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, 56(3), 335-340. https://doi.org/10.1111/sjop.12209

  • Morreall, J. (1991). Humor and work. Humor-International Journal of Humor Research, 4(34), 369-370. https://doi.org/10.1515/humr.1991.4.3-4.359

  • Mullany, L. (2004). Gender, politeness and institutional power roles: Humour as a tactic to gain compliance in workplace business meetings. Multilingua, 23(1-2), 13-37.

  • Martin, R., & Kuiper, N. A. (2016). Three decades investigating humor and laughter: An interview with Professor Rod Martin. Europe's Journal of Psychology, 12(3), 498-512. https://doi.org/10.5964/ejop.v12i3.1119

  • Odell, M. (1996). The silliness factor: Breaking up repetitive and unproductive conflict patterns with couples and families. Journal of Family Psychotherapy, 7(3), 69-75.

  • Oppliger, P. A. (2003). Humor and learning. In J. Bryant and D. Roskos-Ewoldsen (Eds.), Communication and emotion: Essays in honor of Dolf Zillmann (pp. 255-273). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

  • Park, N., Peterson, C., & Seligman, M. E. P. (2004). Strengths of character and well-being. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 23, 603-619. Doi:10.1521/jscp.23.5.603.50748

  • Park, N., Peterson, C., & Seligman, M. E. P. (2006). Character strengths in fifty-four nations and the fifty US states. Journal of Positive Psychology, 1, 118-129.

  • Doi:10.1080/17439760600619567

  • Pelham, B. W., & Hetts, J. J. (2014). Implicit and explicit personal and social identity: Toward a more complete understanding of the social self. In G. B. Moskowitz (Ed.), The psychology of the social self (pp. 123-152). Psychology Press.

  • Peterson, C., & Seligman, M. E. P. (2004). Character strengths and virtues: A handbook and classification. New York: Oxford University Press.

  • Peterson, C., Park, N., & Seligman, M. E. P. (2006). Greater strengths of character and recovery from illness. Journal of Positive Psychology, 1, 7-26. Doi:10.1080/17439760500372739

  • Peterson, C., Ruch, W., Beermann, U., Park, N., & Seligman, M. E. P. (2007). Strengths of character, orientations to happiness, and life satisfaction. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 2(3), 149-156. Doi:10.1080/17439760701228938

  • Prerost, F. J. (1988). Use of humor and guided imagery in therapy to alleviate stress. Journal of Mental Health Counseling, 10(1), 16-22.

  • Provine, R. R. (1996). Laughter. American Scientist, 84(1), 38-45. http://www.jstor.org/stable/29775596

  • Reber, A. (1995). Dictionary of psychology (Second Edition). Harmondsworth: Penguin.

  • Richman, J. (2003). Therapeutic humor with the depressed and suicidal elderly. In C. E. Schaefer (Ed.), Play therapy with adults (pp. 166-192). New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons.

  • Romero, E. J., & Arendt, L. A. (2011). Variable effects of humor styles on organizational outcomes. Psychological Reports, 108(2), 649-659. https://doi.org/10.2466/07.17.20.21.pr0.108.2.649-659

  • Romero, E. J., & Cruthirds, K. W. (2006). The use of humor in the workplace. Academy of Management Perspectives, 20(2), 58-69. https://doi.org/10.5465/amp.2006.20591005

  • Rosenberg, M. (1965). Society and the adolescent self-image. By Morris Rosenberg. Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 1965. 326 pp. Tables. $6.50. Social Forces, 44(2), 255-256. https://doi.org/10.1093/sf/44.2.255

  • Ruch, W., & Carrell, A. (1998). Trait cheerfulness and the sense of humour. Personality and Individual Differences, 24(4), 551-558. Doi:10.1016/S0191-8869(97)00221-3

  • Ruch, W., Proyer, R. P., Esser, C., & Mitrache, O. (2011). Cheerfulness and everyday humorous conduct. In Romanian Academy, “George Barit“ Institute of History, Department of Social Research (Ed.), Studies and researches in social sciences (Vol. 18). Cluj-Napoca, Romania: Argonaut Press.

  • Ruch, W., Proyer, R. T., Harzer, C., Park, N., Peterson, C., & Seligman, M. E. P. (2010). Values in action inventory of strengths (VIA-IS): Adaptation and validation of the German version and the development of a peer-rating form. Journal of Individual Differences, 31(3), 138-149. Doi:10.1027/16140001/a000022

  • Rutherford, K. (1994). Humor in psychotherapy. Individual Psychology, 50(2), 207- 222.

  • Shin, D., & Johnson, D. (1978). Avowed happiness as an overall assessment of the quality of life. Social Indicators Research, 5(1),475-492 http://dx.doi.org/10.10 07/BF00352944

  • Soni, V. (2011). Adam Potkay, the story of Joy: From the Bible to Late Romanticism the story of Joy: From the Bible to late Romanticism. Adam Potkay. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2007. Pp. v+304. Modern Philology, 109(2), E78-E83. https://doi.org/10.1086/661257

  • Stieger, S., Formann, A. K., & Burger, C. (2011). Humor styles and their relationship to explicit and implicit self-esteem. Personality and Individual Differences, 50(5), 747750. Https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2010.11.025

  • Surkis, A. A. (1993). Humor in relation to obsessive-compulsive processes. In W. F. Fry, and W. A. Salameh (Eds.), Advances in humor and psychotherapy (pp. 121-141). Sarasota, FL: Professional Resource Press.

  • Teslow, J. L. (1995). Humor me: A call for research. Educational Technology Research and Development, 43(3), 6-28. https://doi.org/10.1007/bf02300453

  • Thorson, J. A., Powell, F., Sarmany-Schuller, I., & Hampes, W. P. (1997). Psychological health and sense of humor. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 53(6), 605-619. https://doi.org/10.1002/(sici)1097-4679(199710)53:6<605::aid-jclp9>3.0.co;2-i

  • Veenhoven, R. (2011). Conditions of happiness (Softcover reprint of the original 1st ed. 1984 ed.). Springer.

  • Ventis, W. L., Higbee, G., & Murdock, S. A. (2001). Using humor in systematic desensitization to reduce fear. The Journal of General Psychology, 128(2), 241-253. https://doi.org/10.1080/00221300109598911

  • Walsh, J. (2014). The therapeutic use of humor with clients who have schizophrenia. Social Work in Mental Health, 13(1), 70-81. https://doi.org/10.1080/15332985.20 14.899940

  • Walter, M., Hänni, B., Haug, M., Amrhein, I., Krebs-Roubicek, E., Müller-Spahn, F., & Savaskan, E. (2006). Humour therapy in patients with late-life depression or Alzheimer's disease: A pilot study. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 22(1), 77-83. https://doi.org/10.1002/gps.1658

  • Wandersee, J. H. (1982). Humor as a Teaching Strategy. The American Biology Teacher, 44(4), 212-218. https://doi.org/10.2307/4447475

  • Watson, D., & Clark, L. A. (1984). Negative affectivity: The disposition to experience aversive emotional states. Psychological Bulletin, 96(3), 465-490. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.96.3.465

  • Witztum, E., Briskin, S., & Lerner, V. (1999). The use of humor with chronic schizophrenic patients. Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy, 29(3), 223-234.

  • Yue, X. D., Liu, K. W. Y., Jiang, F., & Hiranandani, N. A. (2014). Humor styles, self- esteem, and subjective happiness. Psychological Reports, 115(2), 517-525.

  • https://doi.org/10.2466/07.02.pr0.115c18z6

  • Ziegler, V., Boardman, G., & Thomas, M. D. (1985). Humor, leadership, and school climate. The Clearing House: A Journal of Educational Strategies, Issues and Ideas, 58(8), 346-348. https://doi.org/10.1080/00098655.1985.9955580


Abstract Views: 245

PDF Views: 0




  • Do Humour Styles have a Relation with Self-esteem? A Scoping Review

Abstract Views: 245  |  PDF Views: 0

Authors

Mehatab Shaikh
Amity Institute of Behavioral & Allied Sciences, Amity University Maharashtra, India
Mahimna Vyas
Amity Institute of Behavioral & Allied Sciences, Amity University Maharashtra, India

Abstract


Humour is one of the mesmerizing qualities possessed by human beings which provides a positive and funny outlook towards the stressful events that take place in one's life, making the coping process efficient. According to the studies conducted earlier, humour has been conceptualized as a multi-faceted construct, with adaptive and maladaptive styles of humour. The affiliative and self-enhancing styles of humour have been studied to be beneficial for mental health. Whereas, the aggressive and self-defeating styles of humour are considered to be detrimental to it. This research theorized that there is an association between the styles of humour and the types of self-esteem, which has been supported by various studies. The findings indicate that both types of self-esteem are positively associated with the self-enhancing and affiliative styles of humour and negatively associated with self-defeating humour. The possible positive relation between aggressive style of humour and explicit self-esteem is also discussed along with the implication of humour in various fields.


Keywords


Humour Styles, Implicit And Explicit Self-Esteem, Humour Research.

References





DOI: https://doi.org/10.15614/ijpp%2F2022%2Fv13i3%2F218236