This study investigated receptive and expressive humor in learning disabled, mildly retarded, and nondisabled students from primary (ages 7-10), intermediate (ages 10-13), and middle school (ages 13-16) grades. Student performance was compared on identification of endings to joking riddles where humor is based on phonological, lexical, or cognitive incongruity, description of the basis of humor in selected jokes of each of the three types, and expression of their favorite jokes. The results of a multivariate analysis of variance of these data indicate a significant effect of classification (LD, MR, and nondisabled). The groups also differed in their ability to explain the basis of humor. Results are discussed with implications for intervention and future research.
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