Sarcasm use in Turkish: The roles of personality, age, gender, and self-esteem

Abstract

This study examined how self-reported sarcasm use is related to individual differences in non-Western adults. A sample of 329 Turkish speakers of high socioeconomic status completed an online survey including measures of self-reported sarcasm use, personality traits, positive and negative affect, self-presentation styles, self-esteem, as well as age and gender. Participants who reported being more likely to use sarcasm in social situations had scores indicating that they were less agreeable, less conscientious, and less emotional stable (i.e., more neurotic). Also, those who reported using sarcasm more often tended to be younger and had lower self-esteem. Self-reported sarcasm use was also positively related to both the self-promoting and the self-depreciating presentation styles. In addition to highlighting the complex relationship between individual differences and language production, these findings underscore the importance of expanding sarcasm research to include non-Western samples.