This article considers previously ignored aspects of verbal communication, humor and laughter, as critical components of social interaction within group discussions. Drawing on data from focus groups, Robinson uses a feminist perspective to explore how mothers living in areas of poverty in Liverpool, UK, use humor and laughter to discuss their…

Much of the sociological curriculum often represents society as tragedy. This article explores the incorporation of a society as comedy component in introductory courses at two institutions using the sociological insight and social critique of comedians. A general discussion of parallels between the comedic eye and the sociological imagination is…

This study used an exploratory mixed methods design to address the questions: (1) "Is there a positive language of youth purpose, and if so, what is it like?" and (2) "Which kinds of purpose best predict reports of positive states and coping styles?" Qualitative coding identified references to positive states and coping…

In this lighthearted essay, the author, a library media specialist at Bowie High School in Texas, shares the lessons she learned from her experience dressing up as "the Bookinator" for her school's superhero day.

This article examines the role that self-perception plays in predicting academic performance of cooperative learning groups in graduate-level research methodology courses. A total of 29 groups (n = 102 students) are examined. A series of multiple regression analyses reveals that the groups attaining the lowest scores on the article critique…

Unmotivated, underachieving students pose a huge challenge for teachers. One way to motivate and stimulate student interest in a topic is to use humor. Humor can help students make new connections in learning and improves retention of information (Garner 2006). In this article, the authors describe how they integrated art and literature with…

This article addresses issues surrounding critical media literacy using popular culture texts. The authors focus on the example of their work with a fourth-grade class involved in a project to unpack the messages of popular media and advertising texts. This project, which they call the Elementary Bubble Project, was inspired by guerilla artist Ji…

With a clearer understanding of the way humor works, individuals might be better able to give it the attention it deserves when they study and teach the arts. But where do they turn to find a theoretical framework for the study of humor--one that will help them clarify the role that humor plays in the arts and that will help them as well to…

There is a long research tradition associating humour with creativity, although relatively little research which focuses on the use of humour among professionals in particular workplaces. Addressing this gap, this paper analyses ordinary everyday workplace interaction in a range of New Zealand white collar organizations in order to examine claims…

The use of humor in psychotherapy is discussed in this book. Part A focuses on humor itself. The first chapter discusses what makes things funny. The situational aspects of humor, witticism, joke-telling skills, ethnic humor, puns, and laughter are discussed. The second chapter presents three types of theories of humor: release-related theories;…

Presents eight humorous ways a consumer can tell whether he has purchased a good or bad microcomputer. (MBR)

Tongue-in-cheek Tolkien-like impressions of a conference on open education (Kerhonkson, New York, May 1973.) Strong jargonese overtones imply a high futility level score for this, and many other such conferences to which educators flock. (EA)

Satirizes attempts by the Reagan administration to address social problems. (RH)

Shows how particular features of language are exploited for purpose of humor and reveals the general persuasiveness of incongruity as an element of humor. Features include polysemy, syntactic structures and meaning, deep and surface structure, hyperbole and metaphor, speech patterns, problems of communication, and connectors or linking words. (BK)