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Heart rate and skin conductance were monitored continuously while subjects heard and responded to seven riddles and seven problems which were structurally similar. Hypotheses based on cognitive problem-solving models of humor were tested by comparing changes occurring during problem solving with those that occurred during "riddle solving". While heart rate tended to accelerate once a riddle or problem was presented and decelerate once the answer or punch line was given, there were significant differences in skin conductance between riddle- and problem-solving responses, suggesting that a purely problem-solving model of humor may be untenable. A test of Berlyne's hypothesis of arousal change and humor appreciation was also made. As predicted, humor appreciation was greatest for those who showed a moderate amount of change.

Mothers of high and low fear of failure (FF) Ss completed a modified Winterbottom questionnaire. The results indicated that: (1) mothers of high FF Ss expected independence and achievement behaviors earlier than mothers of low FF Ss; (2) mothers of high FF Ss were neutral following satisfactory behavior and mothers of low FF Ss rewarding; (3) Ss whose mothers were neutral following satisfactory behavior and punishing following unsatisfactory behavior had higher FF motivation than Ss whose mothers were rewarding and neutral respectively. It was concluded that only (2) and (3) contribute to the differential development of FF and HS (hope of success) achievement motivation. (Author)

Cette etude traite des problemes methodologiques poses par les recherches inter-culturelles sur l'humour. L'A. presente un modele de developpement du sens de l'humour chez l'enfant et propose des hypotheses verifiables concernant les similitudes et differences existant dans l'humour enfantin. Il cherche a isoler les mecamsmes cognitifs qui jouent un role important dans le processus de la reaction d'humour et, parallelement, examine les caracteristiques specifiques des stimuli declenchant cette reaction. L'assimilation imaginaire d'information par l'enfant est supposee agir de facon primordiale dans l'humour qui, dans toutes les cultures, est base sur l'existence de contrastes dans le stimulus. Une attention particuliere est consacree aux elements de base permettant de prevoir les similitudes et differences de l'attitude des enfants a l'egard de l'humour dans diverses cultures.

Summary The importance of mastery in children's humor has been emphasized by many researchers and theorists. The present study tested the hypothesis that a high level of mastery over S's sex-role identity enhances the funniness of humor based on sex inappropriate behavior. Seventeen three- to five-year-old boys were tested on the It Scale and were shown drawings of children engaged in sex appropriate or inappropriate behavior whose outcome was either positive or negative. While inappropriate and negative outcomes were consistently seen as funnier than appropriate and positive ones, when inappropriate positive outcomes were pitted against appropriate negative ones, boys choosing the former as funnier than the latter had significantly higher sexrole identity scores. Support was claimed for the general role of mastery in children's humor.

College Ss were shown cartoons either alone with E or with 4 other Ss. While firstborns showed greater appreciation of humor in the group, later borns found the cartoons funnier in the individual condition. Overt signs of appreciation of humor are interpreted as resulting from firstborn Ss affiliative concerns and the lack of such concerns among later born Ss.