Traditionally, psychology views a sense of humor an individual's favorable personality trait. A developed sense of humor is positively correlated with physical and psychological health. Humor is crucial for human emotions, socialization, and overcoming stress. Sense of humor plays a a critical role in the success of social interactions, including romantic relationships, as it is an attractive trait for a potential partner. Some scientists also believe that a developed sense of humor indicates good intellectual and cognitive abilities.
Humor can influence a person's behavior by decreasing or increasing anxiety, aggressiveness, and self-esteem. Due to the ambiguity of research results, many scientists felt the need to create new scales that help capture the difference between the potentially adaptive and less helpful or even destructive forms of humor. There are authors who consider the propensity for humor as an internal psychological defense mechanism focused on maintaining the integrity of the individual. But then there are others who define the tendency to be humorous as a constructive or destructive form of aggression.
The HSQ test (Humor Styles Questionnaire by Rod A. Martin and Patricia Doris) is one of the first instruments of its kind and is designed to explore the usage of different types or styles of humor preferred by an individual. The test measures two positive and two negative aspects of humor: Affiliative humor, Self-enhancing humor, Aggressive humor, and Self-defeating humor.
The following is the list of statements describing the different ways humor is perceived.
Please read each statement carefully and indicate to what extent you agree or disagree with it. At the end of the test, a permanent link with your result is generated; you can share it with your friends on social media.
Note this test is provided strictly for informational, educational and entertainment purposes and should not be used for making any decision. It is not intended to be a psychological advice of any kind.