The Effect of Contextual Cues on the Effective Deployment of Humor in Intercultural Communication

Abstract

A great deal of research in the field of communication has found humor to be a significant aid to interpersonal communication. However, the use of humor in the context of intercultural communication can be problematic, owing to various differences between the interlocutors including elements that may not be solely or directly connected with audiences" understanding of language. There is little research evidence as to the factors affecting the success (or otherwise) of humor in such situations, although specification of these could be useful in practice, therefore the study presented here explores the factors effective in the successful (or at least, less problematic) deployment of humor within intercultural communication. The study focuses particularly on the role of contextual cues, because these have been shown to exert positive effects on humor in intercultural communication. These positive effects include an increase in audience members" understanding and recognition of humor, and a reduced likelihood of "humor failure".