Date of Award
1996
Degree Name
Psychology
College
College of Liberal Arts
Type of Degree
M.A.
Document Type
Thesis
First Advisor
Christopher W. LeGrow
Second Advisor
Marianna Footo-Linz
Third Advisor
Stuart Thomas
Fourth Advisor
Leonard J. Deutsch
Abstract
The present study examined the effects of the use of humor and/or profanity on students’ perception of a male or female Psychology instructor. Groups of subjects (N=389; 203=females, 186=males) in a classroom viewed a taped lecture and then completed a questionnaire assessing the instructor and lecture. Each subject viewed one of eight video-taped lecture conditions: (1) non-humorous, non-profane male, (2) non-humorous, profane male, (3) humorous, non-profane male, (4) humorous, profane male, (5) non-humorous, profane female, (6) non-humorous, profane female, (7) humorous, non-profane female or (8) humorous, profane female. It was found that the combination of humor and profanity was seen as more effective when used by a male instructor. It was least effective for a female to use profanity in the absence of humor. This research is a step in understanding the consequences of profanity in the classroom.
Subject(s)
Swearing.
Teacher effectiveness – Humor.
Recommended Citation
Blankenship, Jo Lynn, "The perceived effectiveness of teachers when humor and profanity are present in lectures" (1996). Theses, Dissertations and Capstones. 1562.
https://mds.marshall.edu/etd/1562
Included in
Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons, Educational Methods Commons, Educational Psychology Commons, Higher Education Commons
