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Abstract

This experiment studied how sex, year in school, and type of cartoon affects humor and likability ratings of two types of cartoons. 40 men and 40 women (20 college freshman, 20 sophomores, 20 juniors, and 20 seniors) rated 3 Far Side and 3 Family Circus cartoons for how humorous and likable the cartoons were. Two 4 × 2 × 2 mixed analyses of variance were performed, one on humor ratings and one on likability ratings. Far Side Cartoons were more humorous and likable than Family Circus cartoons. Men were more extreme in their ratings than women; they rated the Fat Side cartoons as more likable and humorous and Family Circus cartoons less likable and humorous than women. The triple interaction between sex, type of cartoons, and year in school was also significant for likability ratings. Results add to the literature on sex differences and show research on what affects preferred types of humor is needed.

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Effects of Sex,Year in School,and Type of Cartoon on Ratings of Humor and Likability

Abstract

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