Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, 2015 DOI: 10.1111/sjop.12209 Personality and Social Psychology Humor styles and personality: A meta-analysis of the relation between humor styles and the Big Five personality traits ANDRES MENDIBURO-SEGUEL,1,2 DARIO PAEZ 3 and FRANCISCO MARTINEZ-SANCHEZ 4 1Universidad Diego Portales, Santiago, Chile 2Faculty of Administration and Economy, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Santiago, Chile 3Universidad del Paıs Vasco, Spain 4Universidad de Murcia, Murcia, Spain Mendiburo-Seguel, A., Paez, D. & Martınez-Sanchez, 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. This research summarizes the knowledge generated in social psychology and positive psychology about the relationship between humor styles, personal- ity and wellbeing. Specifically, a meta-analysis was performed with the results of 15 studies on humor styles measured by the Humor Styles Question- naire (Martin, Puhlik-Doris, Larsen, Gray & Weir, 2003) in correlation with the personality traits measured by the Big Five Personality model (measured with different scales). Following the steps presented by Rosenthal (1991) for meta-analysis in the case of correlational research, we calculated the total mean r as an indicator of effect size. Results show that affiliative humor has a strong and homogeneous relation to neuroticism and extraver- sion. The homogeneity and heterogeneity found between variables and possible explanations are discussed in the conclusion. Key words: Humor, humor styles, Big Five, personality. Andres Mendiburo-Seguel, Fanor Velasco 34 F, Region Metropolitana, Santiago de Chile, Chile. E-mail: [email protected] INTRODUCTION ASSOCIATION BETWEEN HUMOR AND PERSONALITY The relations between humor and personality have been analyzed Sense of humor refers to a human capacity to capture aesthetic by various authors, including Eysenck, Cattell, McGee and aspects of humor. Until quite recently, humor was understood as Ruch. However, the perspective of Martin et al. (2003) can a pro-social, benign and pleasant phenomenon, as opposed to a be considered the most influential in current self-evaluative fi more aggressive, ironic or malign form. It is, therefore, not dif - research. In constructing their Humor Styles Questionnaire cult to understand why a sense of humor is still considered a (HSQ), these authors observed that humor styles had been con- socially desirable characteristic (Martin, 2007). sidered in psychology for some time, and that they involved Nevertheless, we can certainly say that sense of humor both positive and negative psychological functioning. They dis- involves a series of cognitive and emotional appraisals, behav- tinguished different types of humor that could be analyzed fl iors, attitudes, values and so on. Moreover, it in uences through an instrument that was better – compared to its prede- the relations we establish with others, and our forms of com- cessors – for measuring the relations between mental health, munication and persuasion; humor can serve as a form of emotions and humor. aggression or as a coping mechanism (or even both at the To create the HSQ, Martin et al. (2003) used a 2 9 2 model. same time. Humor is involved in most human behavior One of the axes of the model referred to the use of humor (Martin, 2007). focused on oneself (intrapersonal), as opposed to humor focused Based on previous research (e.g., Hehl & Ruch, 1985), we on others (interpersonal). The other axis of the 2 9 2 model can understand humor as a stable personality tendency refer- proposed by these authors is related to benign or malign types ring to a sensation (amusement), to a behavior (laughter or of humor. smiling), to its use as a way of coping (humor as a coping The intrapersonal aspect would be associated with amusement, mechanism), to an ability (production and creation of stimuli), and would also involve the capacity to cope with stress and fi and nally, to an aesthetic sense (sense of humor, appreciation make use of humor as a defense mechanism. It is related to “ ” of humor). Obviously, the conception of trait implies that Freudian theory, moreover, since it refers to the liberation of “ ” people will more often tend to present a state of humor tension and to black humor as a form of maintaining feelings of or an emotion made up of the subjective feeling of hilarity control, mastery or triumph (Ziv, 1984). We might say that it or amusement, the expression of laughter and Duchenne refers to humor as a form of mental protection. smiling (i.e., the facial expressions denoting authentic laughter The interpersonal aspect, referring to enhancing one’s relations or smiling), the associated physiological and motor response with others, is associated with the intention of reaffirming feel- (disruption of breathing, muscular relaxation, movement of ings of social wellbeing, dealing with conflicts, appearing more trunk and arms, activation of autonomic nervous system), and attractive and strengthening ties (Martin et al., 2003). In the case greater exposure to, reactivity to and productivity of comic of large groups, humor is related to factors such as social cohe- and humorous stimuli. sion, identity reinforcement and persuasion (Martineau cited in © 2015 Scandinavian Psychological Associations and John Wiley & Sons Ltd 2 A. Mendiburo-Seguel et al. Scand J Psychol (2015) Martin, 2007). For Martin, the difference between intrapersonal THE BIG FIVE PERSONALITY FACTORS: STATE OF and interpersonal humor is closely related to other polar relations THE QUESTION studied, such as individualism versus collectivism. There is currently a consensus on the “big five” dimensions of Thus, from the crossing of the two axes, it is observed that personality: extraversion; agreeableness; conscientiousness; neu- there can be malign interpersonal humor (aggressive humor), roticism; and openness to experience. These dimensions have fi benign interpersonal humor (af liative humor), malign intraper- been found using descriptive adjectives of personality in various sonal humor (self-defeating humor) and benign intrapersonal languages and cultures. The revised NEO Personality Inventory humor (self-enhancing humor). It should be noted that these axes (NEO-PI-R; Costa & McCrae, 1992) has been translated into do not refer to poles, but rather to continuums with gradations, over 30 languages (Portuguese, Spanish, German, Dutch, so that there could easily be, for example, a type of humor that Hebrew, Korean, Japanese and Chinese, for example), and the fi seeks af liation, but at the same time contains aggressive ele- five dimensions have been replicated in 26 cultures, particularly ments toward others. Hence, the humor style a person uses in a those of neuroticism and conscientiousness, the dimension least given situation is not necessarily related to a conscious decision: clearly replicated being openness to experience (Benet-Martınez humor as a form of defense, for example, may be a reaction. & John, 1998). The resulting humor styles are presented in the following The first two dimensions refer to interpersonal traits: extraver- subsections. sion/introversion to the preference of interacting with others or being alone, and agreeableness to having positive relations with others (McCrae & Costa, 2010). Affiliative humor Extraversion includes warmth, gregariousness, assertiveness, This is related to telling jokes or funny stories, to well-inten- activity, stimulation-seeking and tendency to experience tioned practical jokes, and to a desire to relate to others, to positive emotions. Correlational and experimental research has entertain and to improve relationships. On using this type consistently found extraversion to be associated with a positive of humor, we make clear that things are on a fun level, and effect (McCrae & Costa, 2010). It has been confirmed cross- that our intention is to interact on that level with others. It is culturally that the core aspect of extraversion is greater sen- associated with extraversion, interpersonal attraction, self-esteem, sitivity to reward (Lucas, Diener, Grob, Suh & Shao, 2000). It satisfaction with relations and, in general, positive feelings and is related to the temperamental traits of sociability (tendency to emotions. interact) and activation (high intensity and rapid pace of behav- ior). Agreeableness includes trust, moderation, altruism, coopera- Self-enhancing humor tiveness, modesty and kindness or compassion (McCrae & This refers to a humorous view of the world, found in people Costa, 2010). ’ who tend to laugh at life s idiosyncrasies and maintain a humor- The third (conscientiousness), fourth (neuroticism) and fifth ous perspective on things. It would be the style closest to humor (openness) dimensions are more intrapersonal in nature. They as a form of coping, since it allows us to distance ourselves refer to the way people carry out tasks and regulate their emo- from stimuli that are stressful or generate problems (Lefcourt, tions and cognitions (McCrae & Costa, 2010). Davidson, Shepherd, Phillips, Prkachin & Mills, 1995). In gen- Conscientiousness includes competence, order, sense of duty, eral, it enables us to reduce negative emotions and maintain a tendency toward achievement (to perform according to standards positive and realistic view in adverse situations. It is negatively of excellence), self-discipline and cautiousness. This dimension related to negative emotions such as anxiety,