Development of the leader humor production preference scale: a preliminary study

Abstract The present study’s aim was to develop a novel leader humor measure that distinguishes between two structural types of humor (INCongruity-RESolution and NONsense). In particular, the constructed scale assesses leaders’ humor production preference concerning using INC-RES and NON humor at the workplace. A sample of 131 participants filled in the newly developed, ten-item, Leader Humor Production Preference Scale (LHPPS). Results from principal component analyses indicated that the LHPPS had a robust internal structure (after discarding two INC-RES items). Internal consistency analysis showed that McDonald’s omega was 0.63 for the INC-RES, and 0.82 for the NON humor subscale. These preliminary findings are discussed in relation to prior theoretical accounts, and extensions to the study of leader humor are provided. Moreover, suggestions concerning future associative validity evaluation and the utility of the newly developed scale are considered.