Humor Styles Predict Self-Reported Sarcasm Use in Interpersonal Communication
We investigated how participants’ humor styles impact their sarcasm use. English-speaking participants (N = 179) completed online self-report measures of humor styles and sarcasm use. We conducted linear regressions to test whether their humor style scores could predict their sarcasm use scores. Par...
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MDPI AG
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Behavioral Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/15/7/922 |
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| author | Liberty McAuley Melanie Glenwright |
| author_facet | Liberty McAuley Melanie Glenwright |
| author_sort | Liberty McAuley |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | We investigated how participants’ humor styles impact their sarcasm use. English-speaking participants (N = 179) completed online self-report measures of humor styles and sarcasm use. We conducted linear regressions to test whether their humor style scores could predict their sarcasm use scores. Participants with higher affiliative humor scores reported a greater tendency to use sarcasm in general and to use face-saving sarcasm to protect the social images of the speaker and addressee. People use face-saving sarcasm to enhance their relationships, to tease others, and to self-deprecate. Surprisingly, participants who scored high on aggressive humor reported using face-saving sarcasm often. We suspect this occurred because the aggressive humor and the face-saving scales contain conceptually similar items. Participants with high aggressive humor scores also reported frequently using sarcasm to diffuse frustration. Participants who scored high on self-defeating humor reported often using both face-saving sarcasm and sarcasm to diffuse embarrassment. Given that face-saving sarcasm use was uniquely predicted by affiliative humor, aggressive humor, and self-defeating humor scores, we suggest that face-saving sarcasm use has utility for people with a wide range of humor styles. Our findings highlight how an individual’s humor style shapes their flexible use of sarcasm in interpersonal relationships. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-8c8ea8f0f94c4fbebff28a2e72113962 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2076-328X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Behavioral Sciences |
| spelling | doaj-art-8c8ea8f0f94c4fbebff28a2e721139622025-08-20T03:13:44ZengMDPI AGBehavioral Sciences2076-328X2025-07-0115792210.3390/bs15070922Humor Styles Predict Self-Reported Sarcasm Use in Interpersonal CommunicationLiberty McAuley0Melanie Glenwright1Department of Psychology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, CanadaDepartment of Psychology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, CanadaWe investigated how participants’ humor styles impact their sarcasm use. English-speaking participants (N = 179) completed online self-report measures of humor styles and sarcasm use. We conducted linear regressions to test whether their humor style scores could predict their sarcasm use scores. Participants with higher affiliative humor scores reported a greater tendency to use sarcasm in general and to use face-saving sarcasm to protect the social images of the speaker and addressee. People use face-saving sarcasm to enhance their relationships, to tease others, and to self-deprecate. Surprisingly, participants who scored high on aggressive humor reported using face-saving sarcasm often. We suspect this occurred because the aggressive humor and the face-saving scales contain conceptually similar items. Participants with high aggressive humor scores also reported frequently using sarcasm to diffuse frustration. Participants who scored high on self-defeating humor reported often using both face-saving sarcasm and sarcasm to diffuse embarrassment. Given that face-saving sarcasm use was uniquely predicted by affiliative humor, aggressive humor, and self-defeating humor scores, we suggest that face-saving sarcasm use has utility for people with a wide range of humor styles. Our findings highlight how an individual’s humor style shapes their flexible use of sarcasm in interpersonal relationships.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/15/7/922sarcasmverbal ironyhumor stylesface-savingpoliteness theoryrelational humor |
| spellingShingle | Liberty McAuley Melanie Glenwright Humor Styles Predict Self-Reported Sarcasm Use in Interpersonal Communication Behavioral Sciences sarcasm verbal irony humor styles face-saving politeness theory relational humor |
| title | Humor Styles Predict Self-Reported Sarcasm Use in Interpersonal Communication |
| title_full | Humor Styles Predict Self-Reported Sarcasm Use in Interpersonal Communication |
| title_fullStr | Humor Styles Predict Self-Reported Sarcasm Use in Interpersonal Communication |
| title_full_unstemmed | Humor Styles Predict Self-Reported Sarcasm Use in Interpersonal Communication |
| title_short | Humor Styles Predict Self-Reported Sarcasm Use in Interpersonal Communication |
| title_sort | humor styles predict self reported sarcasm use in interpersonal communication |
| topic | sarcasm verbal irony humor styles face-saving politeness theory relational humor |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/15/7/922 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT libertymcauley humorstylespredictselfreportedsarcasmuseininterpersonalcommunication AT melanieglenwright humorstylespredictselfreportedsarcasmuseininterpersonalcommunication |