Sage Journals: Discover world-class research

Abstract

Although theorizing about humor has occurred for several decades, scant research exists that examines humor in the broad context of human resource development. Humor exists in workplaces and it is historicized in the professional and organizational contexts of workers. This paper explores aspects of a joking culture within the specific work context of fire service. Research methods employed in this study include literature review that is augmented by critical incidents from the author's work history in fire service. Purposes of humor are explored within the context of fire service, and suggestions for further study are provided.

Keywords

Humor joking culture fire service

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Attardo

(1994). Linguistic theories of humor. Berlin, Germany: Mouton De Gruyter.

Barsoux

(1996, October 5). Why organizations need humor. European Management Journal, 14(5), 500–508.

Belgum

(1999, November 8). Stress, horror of job means a high level of burnouts – paramedics. Los Angeles Business Journal. Retrieved [October 31, 2005], from http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m5072/is_45_21/ai_57824439/print

Berry

(2003, October). We're going to get credits to laugh? JEMS: Journal of Emergency Medical Services. Retrieved [October 31, 2005], from http://www.jems.com/jems/exclus03/e0403c.html

Boverie

, Hoffman

, Klein

, McClelland

, & Oldknow

(1994). Humor in human resource development. Human Resource Development Quarterly, 5(1), 75–91.

Collinson

D. L.

(1988). 'Engineering humor': Masculinity, joking and conflict in shop–floor relations. Organization Studies, 9, 181–199.

Cooper

(2008). Elucidating the bonds of workplace humor: A relational process model. Human Relations, 61(8), 1087–1115.

Christie

, & Moore

(2005, April). The impact of humor on patients with cancer. Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing, 9, 211–218.

Davies

C. E.

(2006). Gendered sense of humor as expressed through aesthetic typifications. Journal of Pragmatics, 38, 96–113.

10.

Ditlow

(1993, March 1). The missing element in health care: Humor as a form of creativity. Journal of Holistic Nursing, 11(1), 66–79.

11.

Fine

(2006). Shopfloor cultures: The idioculture of production in operational meteorology. The Sociological Quarterly, 47, 1–19.

12.

Fine

G. A.

, & De Soucey

(2005). Joking cultures: Humor theories as social regulation in group life. Humor: International Journal of Humor Research, 18(1), 1–22.

13.

Fry

(1992). The physiologic effects of humor, mirth, and laughter. Journal of the American Medical Association, 267(13), 1857–1858.

14.

Garavan

(2007). A strategic perspective on human resource development. Advances in Developing Human Resources, 9(1), 11–30.

15.

Haig

(1988). The anatomy of humor: Biopsychosocial and therapeutic perspectives. Springfield, IL: Charles C. Thomas.

16.

Holmes

(2006). Sharing a laugh: Pragmatic aspects of humor and gender in the workplace. Journal of Pragmatics, 38, 26–50.

17.

Holmes

, & Marra

(2002). Having a laugh at work: How humour contributes to workplace culture.Journal of Pragmatics, 34, 1683–1710.

18.

Johnston

(1990). Humor: A preventive health strategy. International Journal for the Advancement of Counseling, 13, 257–265.

19.

Kerrigan

(2005). Critical incident stress management – rescuing the rescuer. Retrieved [October 31, 2005], from http://www.wildmed.com/cisd.html

20.

Klein

(1998). The courage to laugh. New York, NY: Jeremy P. Tarcher/Putnam.

21.

Kotthoff

(2006). Gender and humor: The state of the art. Journal of Pragmatics, 38, 4–25.

22.

LaFave

, Haddad

& Maeson

(1996). Superiority, enhanced self–esteem, and perceived incongruity humour theory. In. A. Chapman and H. Foot (Eds.), Humor and laughter: Theory, research, and applications (pp. 63–91). New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction Publishers.

23.

Latta

(1999). The basic humor process: A cognitive–shift theory and the case against incongruity. Berlin, Germany: Mouton de Gruyter.

24.

Lefcourt

(2001). Humor: The psychology of living buoyantly. New York, NY: Plenum.

25.

Lefcourt

, Davidson

, Shepherd

, Phillips

, Prkachin

, & Mills

(1995). Perspective–taking humor: Accounting for stress moderation. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 14(4), 373–391.

26.

Lampert

, & Ervin–Tripp (2006). Risky laughter: Teasing and self–directed jokes among male and female friends. Journal of Pragmatics, 38, 51–72.

27.

Martin

R.A.

(2007). The psychology of humor: An integrative approach. London, UK: Elsevier.

28.

Martin

, & Dobbin

(1988). Sense of humor, hassles, and immunoglobulin A: Evidence for a stress–moderating effect of humor. International Journal of Psychiatry in Medicine, 18(2), 93–105.

29.

McCarl

(1986). Occupational folklore. In Oring

(Ed.) Folk groups and folklore genres: An introduction (pp. 71–89). Logan, UT: Utah State University.

30.

McGhee

P. E.

, & Goldstein

J. H.

(1983). Handbook of humor research. New York, Berlin, Heidelberg, Tokyo: Springer–Verlag.

31.

Mindess

(1996). The use and abuse of humour in psychotherapy. In Chapman

& Foot

(Eds.), Humor and laughter: Theory, research, and applications (pp. 331–341). New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction.

32.

Morreall

(1991). Humor and work. Humor: International Journal of Humor Research, 4(3/4), 359–373.

33.

Piacentino

(2005). Humorous subversions. Studies in American Humor, 3(12), 47–51.

34.

Porcu

(2005). Fishy business: Humor in a Sardinian fish market. Humor: International Journal of Humor Research, 18(1), 69–102.

35.

Robert

, & Yan

(2007). The case for developing new research on humor and culture in organizations: Toward a higher grade of manure. Research in Personnel and Human Resources Management, 26, 205–267.

36.

Romero

, & Cruthirds

(2006). The use of humor in the workplace. Academy of Management Perspectives, 20, 58–69.

37.

Roth

G.L.

(2008). Confessions from a guy who teaches humor. New Horizons in Adult Education and Human Resource Development, 22(2), 55–62.

38.

Roth

G. L.

(2002). Humor, humor theory, and HRD. Human Resource Development Quarterly, 13(4), 351–355.

39.

Roth

, Yapp

, & Short

(2006). Examining humor in HRD from theoretical and practical perspectives. Human Resource Development International, 9(1), 121–127.

40.

Schnurr

(2008). Surviving in a man's world with a sense of humour: An analysis of women leaders’ use of humour at work.Leadership, 4, 299–319.

41.

Short

, Keefer

, & Stone

(2009). The link between research and practice: Experiences of HRD and other professions. Advances in Developing Human Resources, 11(4), 420–437.

42.

Staff

P. T.

(2005, January 1). Sick jokes, healthy workers. Psychology Today, 2005, January. Retrieved [October 31, 2005], from http://www.cms.psychologytoday.com/articles/pto–19930707–000016.html

43.

Trout

(2005, Summer). Canadian clown, Nomee, honored by Nurse Nancy. The Humor Connection, 5. Retrieved [October 31, 2005], from http://aath.org/humor_connection/Summer_2005.pdf

44.

Watt

(2007). On becoming a qualitative researcher: The value of reflexivity. The Qualitative Report, 12(1), 82–101. Retrieved [February 13, 2010], from http://www.nova.edu/ssss/QR/QR12–1/watt.pdf

45.

Wolf

(2002). A grasshopper walks into a bar: The role of humour in normativity. Journal for the Theory of Social Behavior, 32(3), 331–344.

46.

Times

Yemen

(2005, September). Smile, an ever–lasting smile! Yemen Times, 13. Retrieved [October 31, 2005], from http://yementimes.com/article/shtml?i=873&p=health&a=2

47.

Zheng

, Qu

, & Yang

(2009). Toward a theory of organizational cultural evolution. Human Resource Development Review, 8(2), 151–173.

Humor in context: Fire service and joking culture

Abstract

Keywords

Get full access to this article

References