Master of Science / Department of Psychology / Donald A. Saucier / This research examines the effect of exposure to anti-gay humor on individuals’ tolerance of anti-gay discrimination. Participants were exposed to one of four conditions in a 2 (message type; joke or statement) x 2 (disparagement; anti-gay or neutral) design. They read vignettes that contained anti-gay jokes or statements, or neutral jokes or statements. Individuals’ sexual prejudice, humor styles, discrimination tolerance, feelings of compunction, and perceptions of others’ tolerance were also measured. Results showed that individuals exposed to humorous stimuli were more tolerant of discrimination, compared to those exposed to non-humorous stimuli. Further, levels of discrimination tolerance were significantly related both to individuals’ levels of sexual prejudice and their preference for an aggressive humor style. No significant interaction effects were found among these variables. These findings contribute to the literature on disparaging humor by examining its effects on targets of a different social group, and by incorporating humor style as a potential moderating variable.

This study validates the Humor Style Questionnaire in a group of 315 university students of both genders from Lima, Peru, with an average age of 19,7. The Humor Style Questionnaire (HSQ) by Martin, Puhlik-Doris, Larsen, Gray & Weir (2003), the Psychological Well-Being Scale (BIEPS-A) by Casullo (2002) and the Hope Scale by Herth (1991) were used. After the neutralization of four items, results show reliability coefficients between 0,64 to 0,78 and a factorial structure confirming the existence of four factors (42,94% of the total variance).Results show positive associations between psychological well-being and hope with affiliation and self-enhancing styles, and negative associations between aggression and self-defeating humor. Results support the convergence validity and the construct of the scale. / Se realiza la validación de la Escala del Sentido del Humor con 315 estudiantes universitarios de ambos sexos de Lima, Perú, con una edad promedio de 19,7 años. Se aplicó la Escala sobre el Sentido del Humor (HSQ) de Martin, Puhlik-Doris, Larsen, Gray & Weir (2003), la Escala de Bienestar Psicológico (BIEPS-A) de Casullo (2002) y la Escala de Esperanza (HHS) de Herth (1991). Los resultados muestran, con la neutralización de cuatro ítemes, unaescala confiable con coeficientes entre 0,64 y 0,78, y una estructura factorial que confirma la existencia de cuatro factores que explican el 42,94% de la varianza total. Las correlacionesentre bienestar psicológico y esperanza con las áreas de afiliación y mejoramiento personal de la HSQ son positivas y significativas, y para agresividad y descalificación personal, negativas.Estos resultados apoyan la validez convergente y de constructo de la escala.