From Punchlines to Punches: A Meta-Analysis of the Persuasive Effects of Horatian and Juvenalian Political Satires

Abstract

A meta-analysis evaluated the persuasive effects of political satire and how such effects may differ between Horatian (light-hearted) and Juvenalian (acerbic) satire types. A synthesis of 33 studies ( N = 7,469) revealed that political satire is no more persuasive than serious news, but the data find several contingencies when distinguishing between satire types. Namely, satire type was found to interact with issue involvement and format, but not ideology or perceived humor. Particularly, persuasion was enhanced by Juvenalian sketch format (compared with news format) satire, as well as Juvenalian satire for high-involvement individuals, but was inhibited by Horatian satire for those same individuals.