A Multivariate Study of the Effect of Repetition on Humor Appreciation as Qualified by two Social Influence Factors

Summary

This study investigated the effect of repetition on humor appreciation as qualified by social setting and recorded laughter. Twenty-five male and 39 female undergraduates gave ratings of smiling, subjective amusement, and objective funniness to 25 “bloopers.” Half heard the material individually and half in groups of 12–17. Two presentations of the material were accompanied by one of four recorded laughter sequences: with/with, with/without, without/with, without/without. Decreases with repetition were more common in group than individual settings, with smiling more frequently affected than other measures. Only smile ratings decreased with repetition in the individual setting and only when recorded laughter did not accompany the second presentation. Recorded laughter provided some maintaining effects and appeared a more potent variable in individual than group settings. Effects of both recorded laughter and social setting appeared only on the second presentation. Where significant social setting effects were found, ratings were higher in the individual than the group setting.