Women See Impact, Men See Laughs: Gender Differences in Scientists’ Perception of Humor Effectiveness and Appropriateness in Science communication

Women See Impact, Men See Laughs: Gender Differences in Scientists’ Perception of Humor Effectiveness and Appropriateness in Science communication

Jiyoung Yeon (Ph.D. student). (2025, August 8-10). Women See Impact, Men See Laughs: Gender Differences in Scientists' Perception of Humor Effectiveness and Appropriateness in Science communication [Paper presentation]. Annual conference of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC), San Francisco, California. 

Abstract: This study examines gender differences among scientists as communicators in their perceptions of humor effectiveness across contexts, and its appropriateness across types. A survey among academic populations at R1 institution revealed that women scientists perceived humor as more effective for science communication than men yet were less likely to consider deprecating humor appropriate—except for neutral forms. These findings highlight the need for more inclusive, tailored humor guidelines in science communication that reflect scientists’ perspectives.

Related Research