Sex Differences in the Jokes College Students Tell

Abstract

Jokes were solicited from 214 college women and 136 college men. These jokes were then sorted into four major categories: sexual jokes, aggressive jokes, blended sexual and aggressive jokes, and nontendentious jokes. Men and women did not generally differ in telling sexual and aggressive jokes. Women were more likely to tell nontendentious jokes and to tell no joke at all than were men. Men were more likely to tell sexual and aggressive blends. The possible implications concerning the attitudes of college students are discussed.