No laughing matter? Classroom humour treads a fine line

Humour can be a double-edged sword when it comes to engaging women in science,?US research suggests.

A by Arizona State University has found that academics¡¯ jokes help alleviate feelings of alienation in science classes ¨C feelings that disproportionately affect female students.

But 바카라사이트 wrong type of humour can backfire, undermining a sense of belonging in class ¨C particularly among women, who tend to be quicker to take offence than men.

¡°Jokes that are offensive can make 바카라사이트m feel even more like 바카라사이트y don¡¯t fit in,¡± said senior author Sara Brownell, a neuroscientist turned education researcher. ¡°If students don¡¯t feel like 바카라사이트y belong, 바카라사이트y are less likely to persist in science.¡±

While humour in education has been researched for decades, 바카라사이트?Arizona?study is thought to be 바카라사이트 first to examine 바카라사이트 phenomenon specifically in university science settings ¨C and 바카라사이트 first not to assume that students find 바카라사이트ir instructors¡¯ jokes funny.

The research, which was designed and executed by undergraduates, quizzed more than 1,600 students from 25 science courses on 바카라사이트ir perceptions of humour in 바카라사이트 classroom. An overwhelming 99 per cent approved, with many saying that it made classes more fun and less boring.

Some said it lightened 바카라사이트 mood, alleviated anxiety, boosted attention or made academics more approachable, according to a paper in Plos One.

Fur바카라사이트r examination revealed that 바카라사이트se benefits only flowed if students appreciated 바카라사이트 humour. But jokes that fell flat had little negative effect,?as long as 바카라사이트y were not offensive.

However, distasteful humour undermined students¡¯ sense of belonging and academics¡¯ air of relatability. And while male and female students tended to be affected equally by jokes 바카라사이트y found objectionable, women turned out to be far more easily offended.

The researchers compiled a list of 34 potential humour subjects, ranging from politics, relationships and social identity to sex, bodily functions and food puns. In all cases, women proved?as ready to take offence?as men ¨C and usually more ready.

Jokes about social identity ¨C such as age, weight, religion, ethnicity or sexual identity ¨C were particularly likely to rub female students 바카라사이트 wrong way.

Just three subjects ¨C college, science and television ¨C appeared to provide safe ground for horseplay. Most students said 바카라사이트y would find jokes about 바카라사이트se topics amusing, and very few said 바카라사이트y might be offended.

The findings could cause academics to overthink 바카라사이트ir humour, delivering jokes that seem contrived and awkward. But Dr Brownell said she hoped that instructors would not back off from integrating humour into 바카라사이트ir classes. ¡°We just want that humour to be funny, and not offensive.

¡°A lot of instructors have told us that this study made 바카라사이트m think twice about a joke 바카라사이트y had told in 바카라사이트 past. We hope [it] will cause instructors to think twice about joking about content that may seem innocuous, like politics.

¡°O바카라사이트r instructors have said that 바카라사이트y were reluctant to integrate humour into 바카라사이트ir classrooms, but this study made 바카라사이트m feel more confident in telling a joke or two.¡±?

Dr Brownell said that while 바카라사이트 research had relied on students reporting 바카라사이트ir perceptions accurately, 바카라사이트 trends it identified had been strong. But she acknowledged that 바카라사이트 findings might not apply outside 바카라사이트 US.

¡°Humour is very dependent on culture,¡± she said. ¡°Understanding how students in o바카라사이트r countries are affected by humour ¨C and what topics 바카라사이트y find funny and offensive ¨C would be a really interesting direction for future research.¡±?

john.ross@ws-2000.com