Abstract
We conducted three studies to test our overarching hypothesis that racial humor may increase or decrease subsequent expressions of prejudice by setting social norms that indicate prejudice is either more or less acceptable, respectively. We selected riddles that were disparaging, confrontational, or neutral, and examined their effects on subsequent prejudiced expressions. We predicted humor that disparaged Blacks would convey that prejudiced expressions are more socially acceptable, resulting in increased expressions of prejudice toward Blacks. Conversely, we predicted humor that confronted prejudiced expressions would convey that prejudiced expressions are less socially acceptable, resulting instead in reduced expressions of prejudice toward Blacks. Our studies demonstrated that, consistent with prejudiced norm theory, disparagement humor, and confrontational humor perceived as disparaging, has the potential to disinhibit expressions of prejudice when used, even in brief social interactions. Our studies also showed that individuals often misinterpreted the subversive nature of confrontational humor, frequently perceiving the confrontation intended to challenge expressions of prejudice as instead intending to disparage Blacks. Thus, while it is possible racial humor may have the potential to tighten norms inhibiting prejudice, the perceptions of confrontational jokes as disparaging may result in jokes (created to subvert and inhibit prejudice) ironically reinforcing prejudiced responding.
About the authors
Donald A. Saucier (Ph.D., 2001, University of Vermont) is a Professor in the Department of Psychological Sciences and University Distinguished Teaching Scholar at Kansas State University. His research focuses broadly on how individual differences (e.g., levels of prejudice, racism, social vigilantism, masculine honor beliefs) interact with situational factors to produce expressions of prosocial and antisocial behavior (i.e., helping, morality, aggression, discrimination, and expressions of humor).
Megan L. Strain (Ph.D., 2014, Kansas State University) is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Nebraska at Kearney. Her research interests include the perception and potential effects of disparaging humor, especially in the context of rape humor and sexist humor. She also examines how individual differences in gender-related attitudes may affect or be affected by such forms of humor.
Stuart S. Miller (M.S., 2014, Kansas State University) is an Instructor and doctoral student in the Department of Psychological Sciences at Kansas State University under the supervision of Dr. Donald A. Saucier. His research interests focus on how individuals differ in their beliefs that prejudice is prevalent and problematic in society, and on how these beliefs predict their tendencies to make attributions for other people’s behavior to prejudice.
Conor J. O’Dea (M.S., 2017, Kansas State University) is a doctoral student in the Department of Psychological Sciences at Kansas State University under the supervision of Dr. Donald A. Saucier. His research interests include how expressions of prejudice are justified by perceivers against targets, and in particular how these expressions manifest in the use and perceptions of racial slurs and racial humor.
Derrick F. Till (M.S., 2017, University of Arkansas) is a doctoral student in the Department of Psychological Sciences at University of Arkansas under the supervision of Dr. Scott Eidelman. His research interests include how contextual and cognitive factors facilitate the induction and/or reduction of perceived social and political threats, and how threat compensation strategies influence worldviews and ideologies that ultimately explain sociopolitical behavior.
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