Chapter 21 Quiz: The Role of Humor
Instructions: Choose the best answer for each question. Some questions have more than one defensible answer — where that is the case, choose the answer most strongly supported by the research discussed in this chapter.
1. Geoffrey Miller's "fitness indicator" hypothesis proposes that humor is attractive primarily because:
a) It makes social interactions more pleasant and reduces tension b) The cognitive resources required to produce genuine humor are honest signals of underlying genetic and developmental quality c) Funny people are usually more socially dominant, and dominance is attractive d) Humor evolved as a bonding mechanism to support cooperative group living
2. Research on humor compatibility versus humor ability consistently finds that:
a) Raw humor ability is the stronger predictor of relationship satisfaction b) Humor ability matters more for short-term attraction; compatibility matters more for long-term satisfaction c) Shared sense of humor predicts relationship satisfaction more robustly than one partner's humor skill d) There is no reliable relationship between either construct and relationship outcomes
3. According to Rod Martin's Humor Styles Questionnaire, which humor type is most consistently associated with positive attraction outcomes?
a) Self-defeating humor b) Aggressive humor c) Self-enhancing humor d) Affiliative humor
4. The gender asymmetry in humor production and appreciation (men producing more, women appreciating more) has been replicated across many studies. Which of the following is the BEST reason to be cautious about interpreting this as a simple evolutionary fact?
a) The studies were all conducted in non-Western samples b) Women have been found to have higher baseline humor ability than men in all lab studies c) The asymmetry may reflect performance norms that socially constrain women's humor production rather than underlying differences in preference or ability d) The research was funded by the entertainment industry and should be treated with skepticism
5. The Duchenne laugh is significant in attraction research because:
a) It is louder than other forms of laughter and therefore more emotionally impactful b) It involves involuntary muscle activation and is therefore difficult to fake, making it an honest signal c) It occurs exclusively in women and signals receptivity to courtship d) It was discovered in the context of evolutionary psychology research on mate selection
6. Robert Provine's observational research found that people laugh approximately how much more in social settings than when alone?
a) Twice as much b) Five times as much c) Thirty times as much d) The research found no consistent difference
7. Research on sexual humor in early courtship contexts (e.g., first dates, initial interactions) generally finds that:
a) It accelerates intimacy by signaling confidence and directness b) It is associated with negative outcomes because it implies an intimacy level that has not been established c) Its effects depend entirely on physical attractiveness — it works for attractive people and not for others d) Women find it more attractive than men, contradicting evolutionary predictions
8. The "costly signaling" framework predicts that the most attractive form of humor in initial courtship should be:
a) Rehearsed and polished, because effort signals investment b) Aggressive, because it demonstrates social dominance c) Spontaneous and contextually appropriate, because these require real-time cognitive resources d) Self-defeating, because vulnerability signals honesty
9. Which of the following best describes the relationship between humor and power in social contexts?
a) Humor is power-neutral — anyone can use it effectively regardless of social position b) The ability to set the comedic register of an interaction is itself a form of social confidence and status signaling, and access to this tool is unevenly distributed c) Only high-status individuals can produce effective humor; low-status attempts at humor are always penalized d) Humor and power are unrelated constructs that should be studied separately
10. A study by Greengross and Miller (2008) found that self-deprecating humor worked differently for high-status versus low-status individuals. The finding was:
a) High-status individuals who used self-deprecating humor were rated as less attractive; the joke was read as genuine admission of inadequacy b) Self-deprecating humor increased attractiveness for high-status individuals but decreased attractiveness for low-status individuals c) There was no status interaction; self-deprecating humor increased attractiveness universally d) Self-deprecating humor decreased attractiveness in both groups, with larger effects for low-status individuals
11. Which of the following statements about meme-sharing in digital courtship is best supported by the emerging research?
a) Memes are too impersonal to function as effective courtship signals b) Meme compatibility — finding the same memes funny — functions similarly to humor compatibility in face-to-face research c) Sending memes increases match rates uniformly regardless of content d) Memes are primarily an aggressive humor vehicle and are associated with negative initial impressions
12. The chapter argues that "I was just joking" functions in certain courtship contexts as:
a) A genuine signal of comedic intent that should always be accepted at face value b) A way to retreat from a statement that provoked negative response while maintaining plausible deniability, creating a power asymmetry c) A universal indicator of low social intelligence in the joke-maker d) An effective de-escalation strategy that reliably improves impression management
Short Answer (choose one):
A. In 3–4 sentences, explain why humor compatibility might be a more useful concept than humor ability when thinking about long-term relationship formation.
B. Describe one way that cultural variation in humor norms could create miscommunication in cross-cultural courtship contexts. Use a specific example.