Situational Humor Response Questionnaire

Quantitative measure of sense of humor

Bibliographic Data

ID7887151
AuthorsRod A Martins (0000-0002-7893-2890, University of Waterloo), Rod A Martin, Herbert M Lefcourt
Year1984
Volume47
Issue1
Pages145-155
Publication date1984-07-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Personality and Social Psychology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0022-3514 • E-ISSN: 1939-1315
PublisherAmerican Psychological Association (APA) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1037//0022-3514.47.1.145
OpenAlexW4232439723
LanguageEN
Citations received80
References cited15

In this article, the development of the Situational Humor Response Questionnaire (SHRQ) is described and the findings of three validity studies are reported. We designed this 21-item scale to assess individuals' sense of humor as denned in quantitative terms, in contrast with previous self-report measures of humor, which have been based on a conformist definition. Reliability coefficients in the .70s are reported. The validity studies reveal significant correlations between the SHRQ and a number of criteria, including observed mirth responses during an interview, peer ratings of subjects' sense of humor, a measure of positive mood, and rated wittiness of impromptu comedy monologues. The results indicate that this scale may be useful in assessing humor in productive as well as quantitative terms. Although we found greater support for males than for females, the data provide considerable evidence that validates the SHRQ for both sexes

Humor research · Measure (data warehouse · Sense of humor · Situational ethics · Communication in Education and Healthcare · Humor Studies and Applications · Media, Gender, and Advertising · Psychology · Social Psychology