The Role of Humor Production and Perception in the Daily Life of Couples: An Interest-Indicator Perspective
通过新加坡大学生夫妻的每日日记研究，发现关系质量与当天的幽默产生和感知正相关，且能预测第二天的幽默互动，支持幽默作为关系兴趣信号的观点。
In established relationships, are couples who are funny more satisfied with each other, or are satisfied couples more able to see the funny side of their partners? Much research has examined the evolutionary function of humor in relationship initiation, but not in relationship maintenance. Using a dyadic daily-diary study composed of college students from Singapore, results showed that relationship quality was positively associated with same-day humor production and perception. Importantly, and consistent with an interest-indicator perspective in which humor exchanges communicate relationship interest, relationship quality was also positively associated with next-day humor production and perception, and across both sexes. Results also indicated some support for a sexual-selection perspective in which humor exchanges predicted only same- and next-day satisfaction, but not commitment. Our findings suggest that humor can ultimately function as a strategy to monitor and maintain established relationships.