Personality in work humour: only when people are pleasant

The approaches taken in the development of most questionnaires in the area of humour studies involved the assumption of major dimensions and then the creation of items tailored for them, for example, Martin et al. (HSQ; 2003), Thorson and Powell (MSHS; 1993) and Booth-Butterfield and Booth-Butterfield (HOS; 1991). In particular, Ruch and Kohler's (STCI: 1998) model was strongly influenced by the Five Factor Model of personality (Costa & McCrae, 1992). Specific items within each questionnaire typically refer to a range of different environments, making the assumption that people behave somewhat similarly across situations. Theories of 'Emotional Labour' (Hoschchild, 2003) and 'Impression Management' (Goffman, 2004), however, suggested that in some situations personality characteristics are suppressed. The present study describes the development of an instrument specifically constructed to gauge a person's use of and reaction to humor in the work-place. Correlations with personality measures were found to be 'practically' significant in those scales which made up a 'Pleasant Climate' at work, whereas those scales which indicated an 'Unpleasant Climate' only showed trends in their relationships with personality measures. These findings accord with Foster's (2004) review that when groups are under pressure, conformity is essential to survival.