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Behavioral Sciences
Special Issues
Towards Media Effects and Humor
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Towards Media Effects and Humor

A Special Issue of Behavioral Sciences (ISSN 2076-328X) belonging to the section "Social Psychology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 October 2026 | Viewed by 6011

Editor

Prof. Dr. John A. Banas

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Communication, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA
Interests: misinformation; persuasion; inoculation theory; mediated intergroup contact

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The potential of humor is often underestimated in society; however, scholars have increasingly documented the ways in which humor can play an influential role in our lives. One of the most prevalent sources of humor in our lives is from the media, including social media, streaming stand-up comedy specials, television sitcoms, and podcasts. This Special Issue of Behavioral Sciences is dedicated to media effects and humor and we welcome conceptual and empirical research (with a preference for empirical work) that examines how humorous media shapes beliefs, attitudes, behaviors, mental health, and physical health. Potential research ideas include, but are not limited to, humorous social media/podcasts and political attitudes/behaviors, mediated comedy and prejudicial attitudes, social media humor consumption and mental health, mediated satire and persuasion, and humorous social media and misinformation. Within these premises, this Special Issue aims to advance the literature on media effects and humor and we therefore welcome theoretical and/or empirical contributions that broaden knowledge on the topic.

Prof. Dr. John A. Banas
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Behavioral Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • humor
  • media
  • media effects
  • beliefs
  • attitudes
  • prejudice
  • misinformation
  • comedy

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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12 pages, 544 KB  
Article
Two Sides of the Same Quip: Humor Appeals Can Indirectly Reduce Reactance via Perceived Humor but Simultaneously Increase Reactance Independently of Perceived Humor
by Adam S. Richards, Nicholas S. Curcio and Sydney G. Hall
Behav. Sci. 2025, 15(11), 1509; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs15111509 - 7 Nov 2025
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1266
Abstract
This study assessed whether a humor appeal can reduce the degree to which freedom threatening language elicits psychological reactance and subsequently reduces positive vaccination attitude. A 2 (freedom threatening language: low vs. high) × 2 (humor appeal: absent vs. present) between-subjects experiment was [...] Read more.
This study assessed whether a humor appeal can reduce the degree to which freedom threatening language elicits psychological reactance and subsequently reduces positive vaccination attitude. A 2 (freedom threatening language: low vs. high) × 2 (humor appeal: absent vs. present) between-subjects experiment was conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic in the context of social media posts about vaccination using a sample of people eligible for vaccination (N = 190). Results showed that the humor appeal did not mitigate the effect of freedom threatening language on perceived threat to freedom, but it did separately reduce reactance via perceived humor. However, the presence of the humor appeal also directly contributed to reactance independently of how funny people found the appeal, ultimately reducing positive vaccination attitude. This study demonstrates how humor appeals have complex effects on resistance motivations that should be considered when using them as a persuasive strategy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Towards Media Effects and Humor)
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Review

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19 pages, 298 KB  
Review
The Effects of Humor in the Media: A Critical Review of Experimental Research
by Nathan Miczo and Danyang Zhao
Behav. Sci. 2026, 16(8), 1414; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs16081414 - 18 Aug 2026
Viewed by 400
Abstract
Humor has long been of interest to media effects scholars. As meta-analyses and systematic reviews accumulate, there is a need to continue scrutinizing the means of knowledge production. The purpose of this review was to investigate how humor was examined in experimental media [...] Read more.
Humor has long been of interest to media effects scholars. As meta-analyses and systematic reviews accumulate, there is a need to continue scrutinizing the means of knowledge production. The purpose of this review was to investigate how humor was examined in experimental media effects research. In particular, we focused on how humor stimuli were constructed and how humor responses were measured. Based on a review of 47 published articles, we concluded that most studies examined herein did not manipulate humor message attributes, but rather employed a simple comparison between a piece of humorous content against a piece of non-humor content. Additionally, while most of the studies were guided by theory, only a minority of them included a humor theory; most of the studies used a measure of perceived humor for the manipulation check; the majority of studies used the humor response variable solely for the manipulation check; and only a few studies used the humor measure as a dependent variable. Recommendations are advanced to continue refining our understanding of the effects of humor in the media. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Towards Media Effects and Humor)
11 pages, 1055 KB  
Review
The Role of Humor in Inoculation Theory
by Josh Compton and Sander van der Linden
Behav. Sci. 2026, 16(4), 502; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs16040502 - 27 Mar 2026
Viewed by 1177
Abstract
Inoculation is serious business, but that does not mean it cannot be viewed through a perspective of humor, nor that humor cannot be part of the process of attitude resistance. This applies to both medical and communication-based inoculation, with scientists examining how humor [...] Read more.
Inoculation is serious business, but that does not mean it cannot be viewed through a perspective of humor, nor that humor cannot be part of the process of attitude resistance. This applies to both medical and communication-based inoculation, with scientists examining how humor could function as an adjuvant and facilitate resistance to persuasive attacks. Though relatively limited, considerations of humor have been part of inoculation theory from the beginning—dating back from McGuire’s seminal 1964 review to the prominent role of humor in modern gamified inoculation interventions against misinformation. In this article, we explore humor’s role in inoculation theory, review emerging research, and propose promising directions for future theory and application. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Towards Media Effects and Humor)
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Other

Jump to: Research, Review

36 pages, 1212 KB  
Systematic Review
Humor in Social Media Health Communication: A Systematic Review of Strategic Uses and Effects
by Yangna Hu, Cindy Sing Bik Ngai and Alex Chun Koon
Behav. Sci. 2026, 16(4), 509; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs16040509 - 28 Mar 2026
Viewed by 2171
Abstract
Social media has become an important venue for health communication. Although prior research has examined the effects of humor, evidence on the mechanisms through which humor shapes communication effectiveness in social media health communication remains fragmented and has not been systematically synthesized. This [...] Read more.
Social media has become an important venue for health communication. Although prior research has examined the effects of humor, evidence on the mechanisms through which humor shapes communication effectiveness in social media health communication remains fragmented and has not been systematically synthesized. This systematic review examines how humor functions as a communication strategy in social media health communication designed by healthcare professionals, health organizations, and researchers. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, 32 empirical studies were identified and synthesized. Findings indicate that humor is primarily used in two ways: as a content-level strategy to enhance audience engagement and as a psychological persuasive appeal in health message design and dissemination. Across studies, humor not only enhanced platform-level engagement but also influenced affective responses, attitudes, cognitions, and perceptions, which in turn shaped health-related behavioral intentions. Importantly, the effectiveness of humor was also contingent upon contextual and audience characteristics. This review integrates fragmented evidence into a conceptual framework that clarifies the pathways and boundary conditions of humor-based health communication on social media. It also highlights key limitations associated with the use of humor in health messaging and outlines directions for future research. Overall, this study provides theoretical insights and practical guidance for the strategic use of humor in digital health communication. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Towards Media Effects and Humor)
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