Date of Award
2011
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science
Program
Psychology
Supervisor
Dr. Rod Martin
Abstract
This investigation examined the associations between relationship-focused humour styles and relationship satisfaction and dissatisfaction, as well as positive and negative interactions between dating partners. Undergraduate students (n - 136) completed measures that assessed trait-level characteristics, as well as a series o f online questionnaires that assessed their relationship satisfaction and dissatisfaction, positive and negative interactions in their dating relationships, and their use of humour styles with their partners over the previous three days. Time-lagged analyses were conducted via Hierarchical Linear Modeling to examine the directionality of the associations between variables. Some associations were reciprocal. Daily increases in affiliative humour were associated with future increases in relationship satisfaction and positive interactions. Conversely, daily increases in relationship satisfaction and positive interactions were also associated with future increases in affiliative humour. Similarly, daily increases in aggressive humour were associated with decreases in future relationship satisfaction, while daily increases in relationship satisfaction were conversely associated with lower levels of aggressive humour in the future. Other associations were unidirectional. Daily increases in relationship dissatisfaction and negative interactions predicted future decreases in affiliative humour. Daily increases in aggressive humour were also associated with higher levels o f future relationship dissatisfaction and negative interactions, whereas daily increases in positive interactions were associated with lower use of aggressive humour in the future. Finally, daily increases in relationship satisfaction and positive interactions were associated with lower levels o f self-defeating humour in the future. Affiliative humour appears to be especially relevant to young dating relationships. Individuals who used higher levels of affiliative humour with their partners were more likely to still be dating their partners at follow-up. Also, when participants used higher levels of affiliative humour, their partners reported higher levels of relationship satisfaction. These findings suggest that affiliative humour may promote relationship quality, whereas aggressive and self-defeating humour may detract from relationship quality.
Recommended Citation
Caird, Sara M., "LAUGHTER AND LOVE: THE ROLE OF HUMOUR STYLES IN DATING RELATIONSHIPS" (2011). Digitized Theses. 3428.
https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/digitizedtheses/3428