Assessing Students’ Perceptions of Inappropriate and Appropriate Teacher Humor

Abstract This study replicated and extended a preliminary typology of appropriate and inappropriate teacher humor and advanced three explanations for differences in interpretations of teacher humor. Students were more likely to view teacher humor as inappropriate when it was perceived as offensive and when it demeaned students as a group or individually. Student humor orientation, verbal aggressiveness, and communication competence were related to how students viewed teachers’ use of appropriate and inappropriate humor. Teachers’ level of humor orientation, verbal aggressiveness, and nonverbal immediacy were also related to how students viewed teachers’ use of humor. These results suggest that a combination of the factors examined can be used to explain differences in ratings of classroom humor appropriateness. Keywords: Appropriate and Inappropriate HumorCommunication CompetenceHumor OrientationVerbal AggressionNonverbal ImmediacyIncongruity Resolution TheoryDisposition Theory An earlier draft was presented at the 2007 National Communication Association annual meeting, Chicago, IL. An earlier draft was presented at the 2007 National Communication Association annual meeting, Chicago, IL. Notes An earlier draft was presented at the 2007 National Communication Association annual meeting, Chicago, IL. Additional informationNotes on contributorsAnn Bainbridge Frymier Ann Bainbridge Frymier (Ed.D., West Virginia University, 1992) is an Associate Professor in Communication and Associate Dean of the Graduate School at Miami University, Oxford, OH Melissa Bekelja Wanzer Melissa Bekelja Wanzer (Ed.D., West Virginia University, 1995) is a Professor in Communication Studies at Canisius College, Buffalo, NY Ann M. Wojtaszczyk Ann M. Wojtaszczyk is an undergraduate biochemistry major at Canisius College