Notes on Humor in Educational Settings

• Research on humor in classroom settings has been conducted over the past four decades, illustrating its complex role in education and pedagogy.

• The paper aims to summarize existing research, identify inconsistencies, and suggest future study areas, highlighting the importance of humor as a pedagogical tool.

• Key topics covered include:

  • Definitions of humor in educational contexts,

  • Functions of humor, both positive and negative,

  • Varieties of humorous communication, including their appropriateness and effectiveness in classrooms,

  • Empirical findings from both source and receiver perspectives,

  • Practical recommendations for educators to enhance learning experiences through humor.

Definitions of Humor

• Humor generally involves communication of incongruous meanings that provoke amusement, allowing for the subversion of expectations (Martin, 2007).

• Gervais and Wilson (2005) define humor as "nonserious social incongruity," emphasizing its role in interpersonal relationships.

• Booth-Butterfield and Booth-Butterfield (1991) stress intentional humor that elicits laughter and joy, noting that humor can manifest in various forms.

• Humor serves various functions beyond mere amusement, such as increasing group cohesion, fostering creativity, improving relationships among students and teachers, and providing coping mechanisms for stress and anxiety in learners.

Functions of Humor

• Positive functions:

  • Increases group cohesion by promoting a sense of belonging,

  • Reduces stress and anxiety in the classroom, facilitating a more conducive learning environment,

  • Enhances environmental enjoyment, making learning more engaging and enjoyable,

  • Serves as an affinity-seeking behavior that strengthens relationships between peers and educators.

• Negative functions:

  • Can cause derision, social isolation, and reinforce power dynamics within the classroom setting, marginalizing certain students and contributing to negative experiences.

  • Humor can reinforce control by mocking undesirable behavior, potentially leading to a hostile environment if misused or poorly timed.

Theories of Humor

• Incongruity Theory: Humor arises from the perception and resolution of contradictions, which stimulates cognitive processing and emotional responses (Berlyne, 1960).

• Superiority Theory: Laughter comes from feeling superior to others, which can foster bonding among those sharing the laugh but potentially alienate those targeted (Gruner, 1978).

• Arousal Theory: Humor is a combination of cognitive appraisal and physiological arousal, facilitating emotional experiences such as mirth and enhancing engagement in the learning process (Martin).

Types of Humor in Instruction

• Numerous classifications of humor exist, broadly categorized as positive (affiliative) or negative (aggressive).

• Affiliative humor is utilized to amuse or build friendships, fostering positive classroom dynamics, while aggressive humor disparages others and can lead to division.

• Specific categories include humor related to class material, self-disparaging humor that promotes relatability, and unplanned humor arising spontaneously.

• Studies indicate that relevant humor linked to course content is the most appropriate, as it can assist in memory retention and understanding of the material. Additionally, humor that reflects cultural and social contexts can significantly enhance relevance and engagement.

Empirical Findings - Source Perspective

• Instructional humor frequency varies depending on observational or self-report methods.

• University professors use humor approximately 3-7 times per 50-minute class session. Experienced teachers tend to employ humor more frequently than novices, understanding the nuances of when humor is likely to enhance learning and retention.

Individual Differences in Humor Use

• Differences based on instructor sex, experience, humor orientation, immediacy, and culture have been studied:

  • Research shows men tend to joke more than women in educational settings, though this is influenced by teaching style and context.

  • Experienced educators typically use humor that’s more relevant to the curriculum and better tailored to student needs and expectations, enhancing its effectiveness.

  • Humor orientation pertains to the proclivity to use humorous messages effectively, influencing how humor is perceived and received by students.

Effects of Humor on Instruction

• Appropriate humor positively impacts instructor evaluations, fostering a pleasant and productive classroom environment.

• Through enhancing student engagement, positive or appropriate humor can lead to improved student learning outcomes.

• In contrast, negative or inappropriate humor results in discomfort, poor evaluations, and reduced learning motivation among students.

• The relationship between humor and student learning remains mixed; however, significant evidence suggests that the contextual relevance of humor enhances retention, recall of material, and overall student satisfaction.

• Recommendations for effective humor use include aligning with audience expectations and avoiding negative humor that marginalizes or alienates students.

Recommendations for Educators

• Utilize humor that aligns with personal comfort levels and pedagogical objectives; avoid forced attempts that may backfire.

• Steer clear of negative, disparaging humor; ensure humor relates meaningfully to course content to enhance effective learning.

• Tailor humor to be age-appropriate and context-sensitive to avoid confusion or misunderstanding among students.

• Follow up humorous content with clear explanations of the material to reinforce learning outcomes and encourage retention.

Conclusion

• While humor can create engaging learning environments, its effectiveness relies on appropriateness and relevance, varying across different educational contexts.

• Future research should focus on pedagogical humor across different cultures, the nuances of instructor training in humor use, and theoretical developments assessing humor's impact on learning outcomes, paving the way for more effective educational practices that incorporate humor strategically.