The relationship between humor, personality and worry: Comic styles as predictors of worry
Alberto Dionigi, Mirko Duradoni, Laura Vagnoli
Humour research aimed at evaluating the role of humour in the promotion of psychological well-being has largely increased in the last forty years, showing how those who possess a higher sense of humour report a lower level of anxiety. However, little research has been conducted to understand how humour relates to the cognitive aspects of anxiety. The present study tested the relationship between eight comic styles (fun, benevolent humour, nonsense, wit, irony, satire, sarcasm, and cynicism) and worry, beyond personality traits. A sample of 216 adults (104 men and 112 women aged 20 to 59 years) completed the Comic Style Markers (CSM), the Penn State Worry Questionnaire (PSWQ), and the Big Five Inventory (BFI). The results showed that the best predictors for cognitive worry were humour and fun (negatively) and cynicism (positively). Incremental validity of the CSM in predicting worry beyond the five personality traits showed that the only predictor was cynicism. The results are discussed with reference to previous studies and clinical implications.
Keywords
Humour, Comic styles, Anxiety, Worry, Personality.