The temperamental basis of humor and using humor under stress in depression: a moderated mediation model

Abstract

The temperamental basis of the sense of humor involves high cheerfulness, low seriousness, and low bad mood that would contribute to exhilaration and enjoyment of humor. In a sample of undergraduate participants (N = 946), the present study investigated whether (1) use of humor under stress (HUS) mediates the association between cheerfulness and depression and (2) seriousness moderates the cheerfulness and HUS association. HUS had an indirect effect on the negative association between cheerfulness and depression. Moreover, seriousness moderated the cheerfulness and HUS correlation. For individuals with high cheerfulness, HUS scores were comparable across seriousness scores (Mean ± 1 SD). For those with low cheerfulness, individuals with low seriousness reported greater use of HUS. Hence, low seriousness may only predict greater use of humor during stressful situations in individuals with low cheerfulness. This study informs the theoretical conceptualization of temperamental traits in predicting humor-related variables and psychological distress.