The association of animated sitcom viewing with humor styles and humor types

Abstract

Recently, animated sitcoms such as Family Guy and American Dad have generated considerable interest internationally. This genre is known for its portrayal of controversial political and social issues combined with strategies of malicious humor, exaggeration, and stereotyping. This study addresses the question of whether humor styles and humor types predict viewer interest in animated sitcoms. A total of 1,052 Hungarian adults (41.6% male, Mage = 24.7 years, SD = 7.2) participated in an online survey focusing on animated sitcom viewing habits and the use of humor. It was found that males and younger individuals were more likely to watch animated sitcoms regularly than females and older individuals. As a result of multiple regressions, it was also found that individuals with high levels of self-enhancing and aggressive humor, and low levels of self-defeating humor were more likely to view animated sitcoms. Regarding humor types, individuals with low levels of all humor styles were less likely to watch animated sitcoms regularly. These findings can possibly contribute to a more nuanced understanding of media selection preferences in the level of individual differences.