Abstract
The current study addressed a topic that has both theoretical and applied importance, by examining the potential existential anxiety-buffering function of humor. Participants (N = 556; 55% female; M age = 37 years) completed a measure of trait coping humor before being randomly assigned to a mortality salience condition and a humor induction condition and then completing a measure of death-thought accessibility. ANOVA revealed main effects of trait coping humor, mortality salience and humor induction on death-thought accessibility in the expected directions. Coping humor interacted with mortality salience (F(1,439) = 14.47, p < 0.01) showing that low coping humor participants were more affected by the mortality salience manipulation. Coping humor also interacted with humor induction (F(1,439) = 8.94, p < 0.01) showing that low coping humor participants were more affected by the humor induction. Findings suggests that whilst trait coping humor appears to buffer the effects of mortality salience, those low in trait coping humor may benefit the most from interventions aimed at reducing existential anxiety via humor. The apparent beneficial effect of humor induction for individuals low in coping humor holds a promise of advancing our understanding of existential threat and, ultimately, providing a basis for interventions to improve mental health.
About the authors
Dr Jessica Morgan is currently a research associate at the University of Greenwich. She gained her PhD in psychology from the University of Sussex in 2008, and has published research on existential meaning, positive psychology and widening participation. She is a comedy fan but, in contrast to both of her co-authors, has never worked the stand-up comedy circuit.
Dr Rebecca Smith gained her PhD in social psychology from the University of Dundee in 2004. She has published social psychological research on the topics of the role of romantic beliefs in terror management and the effects of ostracism. She is currently a senior lecturer at the University of Greenwich.
Amrik Singh gained his master’s degree in psychology from the University of Greenwich in 2017. His research interests include the effects of humor on terror management and the positive psychological benefits of humor.
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