Teaching and Learning with Humor

1988/09/01 by Avner Ziv · 292 citations
Medicine · Psychology · Social Sciences · #Communication in Education and Healthcare #Group (periodic table) #Humor Studies and Applications #Humor research #Innovative Teaching Methodologies in Social Sciences #Mathematics education #Medicine #Psychology #Replication (statistics) #Sense of humor #Social psychology #Teaching method

paper · doi:10.1080/00220973.1988.10806492

published in The Journal of Experimental Education 57(1), 4-15 (Taylor & Francis)

openalex publication_date 1988/09/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/21

Abstract

Two experiments concerning humor in teaching and learning in higher education are presented. The first study used relevant humor in a one-semester statistics course in an experimental group and no humor in a control group. One hundred sixty-one students participated, and the results showed significant differences between the two groups in favor of the group learning with humor. No significant sex differences nor interactions were found. The second experiment was a replication of the first one, using 132 students in a one-semester introductory psychology course. The students (all females) were divided randomly into two groups. Humor was used in one, and the same teacher taught the second group without using humor. Again, significant differences were found: The group studying with humor had higher scores on the final exam. Explanations for the ways in which humor in teaching can influence student learning are given.

Citations

• Primary, Secondary, and Meta-Analysis of Research

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