The article discusses the use and purposes of puns in Spanish speech and literature. (Text is in Spanish.) (NCR)

Subjects in three age groups (N=96) who resided at home were tested on appreciation and comprehension of 12 conservation and 12 nonconservation jokes. Cognitive perceptual theory of humor applies in old age as in childhood, with appreciation depending on a match between ability level and cognitive demand of the joke. (Author)

Examined the relationship of ability to conserve and comprehend of logical riddles in 33 first-, third- and fifth-grade boys of average intelligence. Although both riddle comprehension and cognitive maturity as assessed by Piagetian tasks increased with grade, the relation between them was not clearly demonstrated. (Author/JMB)

Presents a list of the 25 most popular reading choices of Iowa high school students. Provides brief summaries and publication information on books in the following categories: autobiography and personal narrative; contemporary realism; historical fiction and nonfiction; humor and satire; sports; and mystery, adventure, and the supernatural. (MM)

Reports on the 1987 Drexel University/Free Library of Philadelphia Conference on Children's Literature. The edited text of the keynote address by Alvin Schwartz, "Children, Humor and Folklore," and the acceptance speech by Deborah Kogan Ray, recipient of the 1987 Drexel Citation, are included. Observations on humor from workshop sessions are…

Indicates that premenstrual and menstrual women preferred comedy over alternative choices more strongly than did women midway through the cycle. Suggests that this preference reflects a desire to overcome the hormonally mediated noxious mood states that are characteristically associated with the premenstrual and menstrual phases of the cycle. (JD)

Parodies psychology articles diagnosing syndromes and suggesting treatments. Identifies clinical features of childhood and "causes of childhood." (ABB)

A sample of 280 undergraduate students were selected for a study to determine the effect of tendentious and nontendentious humor in college first lecture presentations on students' perceptions of classroom communicative climate. Findings are discussed. (MT)

Suggests humorous ways to generate student interest in literature such as creating advertising campaigns for characters in fiction. (SRT)

Cites examples of surprise combinations of words that give sudden pleasure to a listener or reader.

Humorously discusses the recent practice of rewriting plays so that the leading roles can be played by members of either sex and considers what might happen if poets and novelists follow suit. (EL)

One college faculty member's collection of unprepared students' amusing answers to test questions on French civilization includes errors of information, spelling, and grammar, and student humor. (MSE)

Creating humorous characters is one way to infuse a language arts program with creativity. (Editor)

This syllabus describes a three-credit course entitled "American Humor," offered at the University of New Haven (Connecticut). According to the syllabus, "American Humor" will identify traits of American humor as historical phenomena with relations to national character, business attitudes, regionalism, folk humor, and health;…

Funds supporting the research for this paper was made available by a National Science Foundation Science Development Grant. (VM)