Humor Styles Questionnaire (HSQ)
Authors
Rod A. Martin and Patricia Doris
Category
Self-report scale (peer-report versions also available)
Description
The HSQ consists of 32 items, each of which is a self-descriptive statement about particular uses of humor. Respondents rate the degree to which each statement describes them on a scale from 1 (totally disagree) to 7 (totally agree). Scores are obtained for 4 subscales relating to potentially beneficial and detrimental ways people typically make use of humor in their everyday lives.
Number of Items
32 items (8 for each subscale)
Measures
Four humor styles: (1) Affiliative ( use of humor to amuse others and facilitate relationships); (2) Self-enhancing (use of humor to cope with stress and maintain a humorous outlook during times of difficulty); (3) Aggressive (use of sarcastic, manipulative, put-down, or disparaging humor); (4) Self-defeating (use of humor for excessive self-disparagement, ingratiation, or defensive denial)
Population
Adults and adolescents
Applications
Useful for assessing both positive and negative styles of humor in correlational research on the role of humor in psychological and physical health and well-being, friendships, romantic relationships, etc. Also potentially useful for individual self-assessment of humor styles in applied or educational settings.
Time
10 minutes
Availability
Online at www.humorstudies.org or from Rod Martin at ramartin@uwo.ca.
Validity & Reliability Information
Reliability of the four scales is demonstrated by internal consistencies of .77 to .81, test-retest reliabilities of .80 to .85. Evidence of validity includes theoretically meaningful differential correlations with other measures of sense of humor, self-esteem, psychological well-being, hostility, coping, intimacy, social support, relationship satisfaction, five-factor model of personality, etc.
Reference Article
Martin, R. A., Puhlik-Doris, P., Larsen, G., Gray, J., & Weir, K. (2003). Individual differences in uses of humor and their relation to psychological well-being: Development of the Humor Styles Questionnaire. Journal of Research in Personality, 37, 48-75.
Online Materials
Humorous Styles Questionnaire with Scoring Information