Publication Type
Journal Article
Version
publishedVersion
Publication Date
10-2023
Abstract
In established relationships, are couples who are funny more satisfied with each other, or are satisfied couples more able to see the funny side of their partners? Much research has examined the evolutionary function of humor in relationship initiation, but not in relationship maintenance. Using a dyadic daily-diary study composed of college students from Singapore, results showed that relationship quality was positively associated with same-day humor production and perception. Importantly, and consistent with an interest-indicator perspective in which humor exchanges communicate relationship interest, relationship quality was also positively associated with next-day humor production and perception, and across both sexes. Results also indicated some support for a sexual-selection perspective in which humor exchanges predicted only same- and next-day satisfaction, but not commitment. Our findings suggest that humor can ultimately function as a strategy to monitor and maintain established relationships.
Keywords
close relationships, relationship quality, humor, interest indicator, sexual selection
Discipline
Personality and Social Contexts | Social Psychology and Interaction
Research Areas
Psychology
Publication
Psychological Science
Volume
34
Issue
11
First Page
1271
Last Page
1280
ISSN
0956-7976
Identifier
10.1177/09567976231203139
Publisher
SAGE Publications
Citation
TAN, Kenneth, CHOY, Bryan K. C., & LI, Norman P..(2023). The role of humour production and perception in the daily life of couples: An Interest Indicator perspective. Psychological Science, 34(11), 1271-1280.
Available at: https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/soss_research/3935
Copyright Owner and License
Authors
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Additional URL
https://doi.org/10.1177/09567976231203139