How Do You Use Humor?

How Do You Use Humor?

Answer the following questions adapted from Rod Martin's Humor
Styles Questionnaire. Respond as honestly and objectively as you can.

Totally Disagree 1

Moderately Disagree 2

Slightly Disagree 3

Neither Agree nor Disagree 4

Slightly Agree 5

Moderately Agree 6

Totally Agree 7

1. _____ If someone makes a mistake, I will often tease them about it.
2. _____ I let people laugh at me or make fun at my expense more than I should.
3. _____ I don't have to work very hard at making other people laugh—I seem to be a naturally humorous person.
4. _____ Even when I'm by myself, I'm amused by the absurdities of life.
5. _____ People are never offended or hurt by my sense of humor.
6. _____ I rarely make other people laugh by telling funny stories about myself.
7. _____ My humorous outlook keeps me from getting overly upset or depressed about things.
8. _____ If I'm by myself and I'm feeling unhappy, I think of something funny to cheer myself up.
9. _____ Sometimes I can't stop myself from saying something funny, even if it isn't appropriate.
10. _____ I enjoy making people laugh.
11. _____ If I am feeling upset, I usually lose my sense of humor.
12. _____ When I am with friends or family, I am often the one whom other people joke about.
13. _____ If I am having problems or feeling unhappy, I often cover it up by joking around so that even my closest friends don't know how I really feel.
14. _____ I usually can't think of witty things to say when I'm with other people.
15. _____ Even if something is really funny, I won't joke about it if someone will be offended.
16. _____ Letting others laugh at me is my way of keeping them in good spirits.

How To Score:

Put-down humor: Start with the numeral 14 and add your answers for questions 1 and 9, then subtract your responses to questions 5 and 15.

Bonding humor: Start with the numeral 7 and add your answers for questions 3 and 10, then subtract your responses to questions 6 and 14.

Hate-me humor: Add your answers to questions 2, 12, 13 and 16.

Laughing at life: Start with the numeral 3. Add your answers for questions 4, 7 and 8, then subtract your response to question 11.

Consider yourself high in any category if your score is above 17, average if it is between 11 and 17 and low at 11 or under. Note your highest score—it will reveal how you habitually use humor.