Funny Boys, Reluctant Girls? The Interaction Between Gender Stereotypes and Humour in Children
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Studies suggest that men and women with stronger gender stereotypes are more likely to report that men make funnier jokes than women. However, the extent to which this perception is influenced by social context remains unclear. Here, we attempted to provide initial evidence for this question by analysing the interaction between gender stereotypes and the perception and production of humour in 10- to 12-year-old children ( N = 137) in Western Europe. The children rated the funniness of verbal jokes (humour perception) and created humorous jokes themselves (humour production). In humour perception, we found an effect of gender but no significant effect of gender stereotypes. Boys attributed the funniest jokes more often to boys than girls did. Overall, humour production was not significantly associated with gender stereotypes. However, children who rated themselves as being more feminine produced funnier jokes. In summary, this study did not find clear evidence that gender stereotypes influence how 10- to 12-year-old children perceive and produce humour.
Source: The Journal of Early Adolescence
Authors: Mirella Manfredi, Moritz M. Daum
Institution: University of Zurich
Language: English
Subfield: Social Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
Funder: Universität Zürich
OpenAlex ID: W7166516911