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Call number: LD2668 .T4 1984 S64 / Master of Science

This qualitative investigation of the use of humor in written expression of sixth-grade children was conducted with two major questions as focus: 1. Are there identifiable conventions of initiated usage in the types and frequency of humor expression in written work of sixth-grade gifted students? 2. Are there identifiable conditions which tend to elicit humorous written expression from sixth-grade gifted children? An analysis of three examples of written work by each of 169 students in five Gifted Center classes indicated considerable use of humor. Patterns of usage emerged, the most conspicuous pertaining to frequency of humor use in the three assignments. Frequency of humor use paralleled the continuum of intimacy of the assignments. Humor appeared most often in the most intimate assignment. Humor was used least in the least intimate assignment. Interpretations of this pattern are suggested in terms of societal awareness and self-disclosure. Wit appeared more often than any other category of humor technique, indicating a preference by these youngsters for that form of humor which involves the greatest amount of cognitive ability. The relatively little use of Dig, the biting humor technique, is viewed as possibly related to the absence of emotionally laden subject matter. Students identified as gifted in all areas with no distinguishable bent used humor more often than any other group. Although those students gifted in Math used Wit less than did any other group, this may not have indicated a lack of creativity in these high IQ children as Creativity was considered an attribute of intelligence. Children of working mothers used humor to a greater degree than did those whose mothers were at home, possibly related to the greater independence and lesser conformity fostered in the former. The teacher's manner of dealing with the behavior and work of students: informal, demanding, non-directive, traditional, appeared to be more highly related to student humor production than was the personality/style (static or dynamic) of the teacher. Implications for education were discernible and areas for future investigation became evident. / Ed. D.