Matching Items (4)
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- All Subjects: Humor
- Creators: Shiota, Michelle
- Creators: Bludworth, Jamie L
Description
Approaches to Holocaust representation often take their cues from both academic and public discourse. General opinion demands serious engagement that depicts the full range of the brutality and inhumanity of the genocide and the victimization of targeted groups perpetrated by the National Socialists. Such a treatment is considered necessary to adequately represent the Holocaust for generations to come. The analysis of four texts will show that humor is not only appropriate but is also an important addition to Holocaust discourse. This study argues that humor plays an important role as a stylistic tool for discussing the Holocaust as well as for its remembrance and representation. Jurek Becker's novel Jakob der Lügner and Ruth Klüger's autobiography Weiter Leben: Eine Jugend are witness-texts by Jewish authors. Humor in these two works helps the authors engage and work their experiences. Klüger's autobiography also utilizes humor to critically engage in the discussion of Holocaust representation. This study also analyzes two non-witness Jewish texts: the stage play Mein Kampf by George Tabori and the feature film Mein Führer, die wirklich wahrste Wahrheit über Adolf Hitler by Dani Levy. These two works utilize overt humor to challenge established Holocaust representations. Drawing on ideas from Mikhail M. Bakhtin, Julia Kristeva, Giorgio Agamben, the core argument of this study demonstrates humor performs two main functions in the Holocaust literature and film chosen for this investigation. First, it restores a potential loss of dignity and helps victims endure the incomprehensible. Second, it challenges the prevailing truth and the established order.
ContributorsMeirich, Hanni (Author) / Gilfillan, Daniel (Thesis advisor) / Ghanem, Carla (Committee member) / Holian, Anna (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2013
Description
People use a variety of emotion regulation strategies to cope with difficult situations. Although there is research supporting humor as an effective emotion regulation strategy, less is known about what circumstances lead people to use humor and what negative emotions humor seems to be the most helpful in mitigating. The current study aimed to determine to what extent specific negative emotions lead people to choose humor as an emotion regulation strategy. Participants wrote about a neutral situation and then selected from four card decks with different stimuli (funny, pleasant, awe-inspiring, or neutral). Participants were then randomly assigned to a negative emotion condition (sadness, embarrassment, anxiety, or anger) and wrote about a situation in which they have experienced that specific emotion. They then completed the card selection task again. We compared the number of funny cards chosen between the neutral vs negative emotion trials for each emotion. We found that card selection did not change significantly from the neutral-affect trial to the negative emotion trial across any of the negative emotions. Limitations and future directions are discussed.
ContributorsLigas, Kaitlyn (Author) / Shiota, Michelle (Thesis director) / Corbin, William (Committee member) / Davis, Mary (Committee member) / Pages, Erika (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Department of Psychology (Contributor)
Created2021-12
Description
Stereotype humor is a highly prevalent but particularly divisive phenomenon, with the potential for both negative and positive social implications. While highly subjective, interpretations of stereotype humor's subtext (support/challenge of stereotype) have major implications for reactions to this type of humor. This experimental study (N = 104) represents a novel investigation of the effect of two facets of stereotype humor, explicitness of stereotyping and stereotype distortion, on judgments of stereotype endorsement (support) versus subversion (challenge) in memes about four different groups (Asian, Hispanic, Irish, White) and associated group stereotypes. In this completely within-subjects design, participants viewed several memes about the target groups which varied systematically by the two factors of interest and provided judgments of stereotype endorsement versus subversion, ratings of funniness, and ratings of offensiveness. Multilevel models were used to determine the effect of explicitness, distortion, and their interaction, as well as target group, on judgements of stereotype humor while accounting for nesting of responses within participants. Results showed that stereotype distortion (e.g., exaggeration) and explicit stereotyping (e.g., overtly linking group to stereotype) both significantly predicted greater ratings of subversion. Unexpectedly, stereotype distortion also predicted greater levels of offense. Interestingly, marginalized group membership (i.e., Asian, Hispanic) significantly predicted lower ratings of subversion, lower funny ratings, and higher offense ratings. Findings highlight the significant role of explicitness and distortion when considering how individuals interpret the subtext of stereotype humor. Furthermore, findings underscore the major influence of group status on judgments and social implications of this type of humor. Overall, this study contributes to a better understanding of the mechanisms by which individuals interpret stereotype humor, providing valuable insights for promoting better intergroup relations and communication.
ContributorsLangley, Erika Beatrice (Author) / Shiota, Michelle (Thesis advisor) / Neuberg, Steven (Committee member) / Maddox, Keith (Committee member) / Brewer, Gene (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2024
Description
While there is an extensive literature on the theoretical and anecdotal basis of
humor being a key aspect of psychotherapy, there is relatively little research. In this study, I addressed whether the frequency of therapist humor is related to subsequent therapeutic alliance ratings by the client. I also examined if therapist humor use is related to improvement in client symptomology. I hypothesized that there will be a positive correlation between humor use and the working alliance while there will be a negative correlation between humor use and client symptomology. Video recordings of therapy sessions were coded for humor (defined by laughter present in response to the therapist) or no humor (laughter not present). These ratings were correlated to client perceptions of the working alliance (using the WAI-S) and client symptomology. I found no correlations between humor and changes in working alliance or client symptomology. The results suggest that humor use in counseling does not seem to matter, however possible limitations of the study mitigate such conclusions.
humor being a key aspect of psychotherapy, there is relatively little research. In this study, I addressed whether the frequency of therapist humor is related to subsequent therapeutic alliance ratings by the client. I also examined if therapist humor use is related to improvement in client symptomology. I hypothesized that there will be a positive correlation between humor use and the working alliance while there will be a negative correlation between humor use and client symptomology. Video recordings of therapy sessions were coded for humor (defined by laughter present in response to the therapist) or no humor (laughter not present). These ratings were correlated to client perceptions of the working alliance (using the WAI-S) and client symptomology. I found no correlations between humor and changes in working alliance or client symptomology. The results suggest that humor use in counseling does not seem to matter, however possible limitations of the study mitigate such conclusions.
ContributorsCheung, Ryan Cheuk Ming (Author) / Tracey, Terence J. (Thesis advisor) / Bludworth, Jamie L (Committee member) / Kinnier, Richard T (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2019