Scores on a humor scale containing both death-related and non-death-related items were compared among three groups of 10 college students who scored high, medium, or low on death anxiety. Ratings of humor differed significantly among the groups, but there was no significant interaction between death anxiety and ratings of death-related humor. Subjects high in death anxiety showed lower humor ratings over-all than the other two groups.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
ChafeW. (1987) Humor as a disabling mechanism. American Behavioral Scientist, 30, 16–25.
2.
DaviesL. J. (1977) Attitudes toward old age and aging as shown by humor. Gerontologist, 17, 220–226.
3.
DorisJ.FiermanE. (1956) Humor and anxiety. Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 53, 59–62.
4.
DundesA. (1987) At ease, disease: AIDS jokes as sick humor. American Behavioral Scientist, 30, 72–81.
5.
FisherS.FisherR. L. (1983) Personality and psychopathology in the comic. In McGheeP. E.GoldsteinJ. H. (Eds.), Handbook of humor research. Vol. II. Applied studies. New York: Springer. Pp. 41–59.
6.
GrziwokR.ScodelA. (1956) Some psychological correlates of humor preferences. Journal of Consulting Psychology, 20, 42.
7.
HaigR. A. (1988) The anatomy of humor: biopsychosocial and therapeutic approaches. Springfield, IL: Thomas.
8.
HammesJ. A.WigginsS. L. (1962) Manifest anxiety and appreciation of humor involving emotional content. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 14, 291–294.
9.
HomG. L. (1966) Threat of shock and anxiety in the perception of humor. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 23, 535–538.
10.
La MarL. S. (1977) The effects of anxiety on humor. Unpublished M.A. thesis, Univer. of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.
11.
LefcourtH. M.MartinR. A. (1986) Humor and life stress: antidote to adversity. New York: Springer.
12.
LevineJ.AbelsonR. (1959) Humor as a disturbing stimulus. Journal of General Psychology, 60, 191–200.
13.
MindessH. (1987) The panorama of humor and the meaning of life. American Behavioral Scientist, 30, 82–95.
14.
NewmanA. (1987) Planetary death. Death Studies, 11, 131–135.
15.
ObrdlikA. J. (1942) Gallows humor: a sociological phenomenon. American Journal of Sociology, 47, 709–716.
16.
RobinsonV. M. (1983) Humor and health. In McGheeP. E.GoldsteinJ. H. (Eds.), Handbook of humor research. Vol. II. Applied studies. New York: Springer. Pp. 109–128.
17.
ShurcliffA. (1968) Judged humor, arousal, and the relief theory. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 8, 360–363.
18.
SilbermanI. N. (1987) Humor and health: an epidemiological study. American Behavioral Scientist, 30, 100–112.
19.
TylerL. E. (1971) Tests and measurements. (2nd ed.) Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
20.
ZivA. (1984) Personality and sense of humor. New York: Springer.