Jokes and quarrels: a cross-cultural investigation of humor and conflict transformation in groups

Abstract

Purpose This study aims to investigate the relationship between different styles of humorous communication (i.e. controlling and liberating) and conflict transformation in groups, in particular the transformation of task and process conflicts into relationship conflict. This study also examines the extent to which power distance moderates the association between controlling humor and relationship conflict. Design/methodology/approach The authors collected data using a survey from 536 participants from two different countries varying in power distance (Romania and The Netherlands) working in groups in organizations from various sectors. Findings Supporting the hypotheses presented in this study, multi-level data analyses showed that liberating humor has a positive association with task conflict, while controlling humor has a positive association with both process and relationship conflict. Moreover, task and process conflict mediate the relationship between liberating and controlling humor (predictors) and relationship conflict (outcome). The hypothesis regarding the moderating effect of power distance was not fully supported by the data. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to explore the multilevel interplay of humor and intragroup conflict in cross-cultural settings and shows how various types of humor can shape the emergence of conflict and its transformation.

Cognitive and Neurodiversity in Groups: A Systemic and Integrative Review

“…While we did not find a substantial intersection between culture and the conceptualization of horizontal and vertical differentiation in groups, it is not unfounded to suggest that cultural values influence the impact of cognitive diversity on group outcomes, particularly in the case of vertical differentiation. Vertical differentiation is more likely to be embraced in cultural contexts with high power distance than in groups that function within cultures characterized by low power distance (Gheorghe et al, 2023). As such, the negative influence of vertical differentiation on group dynamics and outcomes may exhibit variations across cultures, as individuals' cultural and ethnic backgrounds provide a framework for interpreting social interactions (Abdel-Monem et al, 2010;Bender & Beller, 2016).…”