| The Social Transformation Model of Humor proposes that humor serves to communicate different future intentions toward others, depending of the type of humor utilized. An experimental study was employed here to investigate this link more closely in the context of romantic attraction. Specifically, three types of humor were manipulated (self-deprecating, other-deprecating, and nondeprecating), and there was a nonhumorous condition. The effect of different types of humor on romantic desirability is predicted to be moderated by other variables, such as physical attractiveness. Thus, three levels of physical attractiveness were manipulated (high, medium, and low). Each participant was exposed to one of twelve possible humor-attractiveness combinations in the form of humorous or nonhumorous ostensible campus dating service biographies. It was found that a higher percentage of participants wanted to be entered into a draw to possibly go on a date with physically attractive targets compared to physically unattractive targets, but only when some form of humor was used. Predictions for self-deprecating humor were supported only for particular photographs. Most notably, putting oneself down in a humorous way made unexpressive, physically attractive women more desirable to men for dating and sex compared to when the same women did not use humor. As predicted, targets using any type of humor were perceived as more extraverted than targets not using humor. Other findings and directions for future research based on the Social Transformation Model of Humor are discussed. |
