Humor in marital adjustment

Abstract:

It has often been postulated that humor plays a part in emotional well-being. The converse of this should therefore follow: states of emotional distress should be associated with impairment of humor. This study examines the importance of humor appreciation in marital adjustment. Two groups of subjects, one with marital problems and one representing the general population, rated their appreciation of their partner's sense of humor as well as filling out the Golombok Rust Inventory of Marital State (GRIMS). It was found that there was less humor appreciation in the distressed group, and that appreciation of partner's humor correlated significantly with the general state of the marriage. Failure to appreciate one's partner's sense of humor seems to be a significant indicator of marital distress. © 1989 Mouton de Gruyter