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Humor styles, self-esteem, and subjective happiness
Xiao Dong Yue1, Katy Wing-Yin Liu, Feng Jiang
11 City University of Hong Kong.
Psychological Reports
|August 26, 2014
Summary
Adaptive humor styles like affiliative and self-enhancing humor boost self-esteem and happiness. These styles mediate the link between self-esteem and subjective happiness in students.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Social Psychology
Background:
- Self-esteem is a key factor in subjective happiness.
- Humor styles may play a role in this relationship.
- Understanding these dynamics is crucial for mental well-being.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the mediating role of humor styles in the relationship between self-esteem and subjective happiness.
- To differentiate the effects of adaptive versus maladaptive humor styles.
Main Methods:
- A sample of 227 Hong Kong undergraduate students participated.
- Participants completed the Humor Styles Questionnaire, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and Subjective Happiness Scale.
Main Results:
- Adaptive humor styles (affiliative, self-enhancing) positively predicted self-esteem and subjective happiness.
- Adaptive humor styles significantly mediated the relationship between self-esteem and subjective happiness.
- Maladaptive humor styles (aggressive, self-defeating) showed no significant predictive or mediating effects.
Conclusions:
- Adaptive humor styles are important mediators between self-esteem and subjective happiness.
- Findings suggest humor styles can be a target for interventions to enhance well-being.
- Further research into humor's role in psychological health is warranted.
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