Year of Award
2011
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Type
Master of Arts (MA)
Degree Name
Communication Studies
Department or School/College
Department of Communication Studies
Committee Chair
Stephen Yoshimura
Commitee Members
Alan Sillars, Steven Gaskill
Keywords
Cardiovascular, Humor, Interpersonal, Physical Health, Social Health, Communication, Psychological Health
Publisher
University of Montana
Abstract
This study examined the possibility that cardiovascular patient health is enhanced by the intentional communication of humor and associated increases in relationship satisfaction. In an effort to study the relationship between these variables it was predicted that relationship satisfaction mediates the effects between humor functions and health. Questionnaire data was collected from members of two national support groups for patients of cardiovascular disease. Findings support humor functions distinguished in previous studies and support the hypothesis that relationship satisfaction mediates health. Specifically, distancing humor negatively predicted relationship satisfaction and health. These findings offer new insight into the variability of humor effects.
Recommended Citation
Lockwood, Nicholas Lee, "The Heart of the Matter: The Function and Relational Effects of Humor for Cardiovascular Patients" (2011). Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers. 1017.
https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd/1017
© Copyright 2011 Nicholas Lee Lockwood