Effect of humor on state anxiety and math performance
Abstract
An experiment tested the hypothesis that exposure to humorous material prior to taking a difficult math test can inhibit the amount of anxiety associated with the test, and thus enhance performance. In keeping with our hypothesis, participants performed better on a math test after first being exposed to funny cartoons versus non-humorous poems or nothing at all. Mediation analyses suggest that state anxiety mediated the relationship between exposure to humorous cartoons and math performance. Participants who were first exposed to cartoons performed better on the math test because they felt less anxiety while taking the test.
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A sense of humor might reduce some anxieties level, provide positive effects on mental health, and is adaptive to cope with stressful situations.
“Research indicates that a sense of humor might reduce some anxieties level, provide positive effects on mental health, and is adaptive to cope with stressful situations [23–25].”
From When the times get tough the toughs get funny: Means by which humor buffers against death anxiety emerged during COVID-19 outbreak (2022) · cites this paper as [24]
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Cited by 53
- Authors
- Ford, T. E., Ford, B. L., Boxer, C. F., & Armstrong, J.
- Affiliations
- Western Carolina University (US)
- University of Iowa (US)
- Western Michigan University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Ford, Thomas E.
- ORCID
- Ford, Thomas E.
- Venue
- Humor
- Publisher
- Walter de Gruyter GmbH
- Published
- 2012-01
- Volume
- 25
- Issue
- 1
- ISSN
- 0933-1719 (ISSN-L)
- 1613-3722
- OpenAlex
- W2514709230
- Cited by
- 53
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 1 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 7 · 2017: 2 · 2016: 5 · 2015: 4 · 2014: 2 · 2013: 1
- FWCI
- 3.38
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Humor - International Journal of Humor Research (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Humor Studies and Applications
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Education, Achievement, and Giftedness
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Literature and Literary Theory › Media Influence and Health
- Keywords
- humor, state anxiety, mathematics achievement, test anxiety
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