Not Taking a Joke: The Influence of Target Status, Sex, and Age On Reactions to Workplace Humor
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
5-27-2020
School
Psychology
Abstract
The current study tasked undergraduates with serving as hypothetical human resource workers to evaluate complaints of offensive and inoffensive humor used by male and female employees in a fictitious company who varied in employment status and age. Offensive humor was deemed more problematic in its usage, particularly among female perceivers. Contrary to hypotheses, its usage was more problematic for male and older employees than for female and younger employees. In addition, participants were more averse to both offensive and inoffensive humor from high-status and older men relative to women with similar characteristics. We frame results with consideration of recent social trends.
Publication Title
Psychological Reports
Recommended Citation
Sacco, D. F.,
Brown, M.,
May, H. D.
(2020). Not Taking a Joke: The Influence of Target Status, Sex, and Age On Reactions to Workplace Humor. Psychological Reports.
Available at: https://aquila.usm.edu/fac_pubs/17524