Systematic Examination of the Additive Effects of Humorous Verbal Stimuli on Cooperative Responding During an Analogue Data Entry Work Task
Loading...
Authors
Wilhite, Chelsea J
Issue Date
2022
Type
Dissertation
Language
Keywords
cooperation , cooperative behavior , humor , motivative augmental
Alternative Title
Abstract
Experiencing humor has numerous beneficial effects for humans. Producing humor (e.g., telling jokes, using satire) and engaging in the humor response (e.g., smiling, laughing) are associated with physical (Kelley et al., 1984) and mental health benefits (Martin & Lefcourt, 1984), positive social connections (Demjen, 2016), and facilitating social change (Chenoweth & Stephan, 2011). Humorous stimuli are common components of human communication, and much of human communication involves rules or contingency-specifying stimuli. Motivative augmentals are statements that temporarily alter the value of the reinforcer specified in the statement and any associated behaviors (Barnes-Holmes, et al., 2001). By drawing upon literature on humor, behavior, and a scientific account of motivation, humorous stimuli (jokes) were used as antecedent stimuli and analyzed in terms of their potential motivative augmental effect on cooperative behaviors in an analogue medical data entry task. Study 1 examined which joke delivery modality, text only, audio only, or text-plus-audio, was experienced as funnier and more likely to prompt cooperation. Pilot Studies A-E and Study 2 investigated the potential effects humorous stimuli had on the cooperation during the data entry task. Results demonstrated the augmental function of some humorous stimuli in relation to cooperative responding. The implication and limitations of using humorous stimuli as motivative augmentals for cooperation are discussed.