A Study of the Relationship Between Emotionality and Humor Styles Among College Students”

This study investigates the relationship between Emotionality and humor styles—Affiliative, Self-Enhancing, Aggressive, and Self-Defeating—among college students aged 18 to 25. Drawing from the HEXACO model of personality and the Humor Styles Questionnaire (HSQ), the research explores how emotional responsiveness influences the use of humor for social bonding, coping, or self-deprecation. The Emotional Expressivity Scale (EES) and HSQ were administered to 396 students across various colleges. Data analysis using Spearman's rank correlation revealed weak but significant negative correlations between Emotionality and Aggressive and Self-Defeating humor, and minimal associations with Affiliative and Self-Enhancing humor. Gender-based differences were also observed. These findings suggest that Emotionality, while not a strong predictor, may subtly shape humor style preferences, with implications for emotional well-being, gender dynamics, and therapeutic practice.