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CTLT Home >> Resources >> Teaching Topics >> General Teaching Resources >> Bibliography on Humor and the Education of Adolescents and Adults

Bibliography on Humor and the Education of Adolescents and Adults

Don Nilsen, Arizona State and Executive Secretary of the
International Society for Humor Studies
Revised October 2001

Allen, Steve. "Dumbth": The Lost Art of Thinking, With 101 Ways to Reason Better and Improve Your Mind. 2nd Edition. Buffalo, NY: Prometheus, 1998.

Amada, Gerald. "The Role of Humor in a College Mental Health Program." Advances in Humor and Psychotherapy. Eds. Fry, William F., and Waleed A. Salameh. Sarasota, FL: Professional Resource Press, 1993, 157-182.

Backes, Anthony. "Aristophanes Would Laugh." English Journal 88.4 (1999): 34-42.

Baer, Teddi. The Effect of Humor on Learning and Attitude for Adolescents when Incorporated into the Design of Computer Assisted Instruction. Ph.D. Dissertation. Albuquerque, NM: Univ of New Mexico, September, 1990.

Berk, Ronald A. Professors are from Mars, Students are from Snickers: How to Write and Deliver Humor in the Classroom and in Professional Presentations. Madison, WI: Mendota Press, 1998.

Berk, Ronald, and Joy P. Nanda. "Effects of Jocular Instructional Methods in Attitudes, Anxiety, and Achievement in Statistics Courses." HUMOR: International Journal of Humor Research 11.4 (1998): 383-410.

Boerman-Cornell, William. "The Five Humors." English Journal 88.4 (1999): 66-69.

Brown, G. E., D. Brown, and J. Ramos. "Effects of a Laughing Versus a Non-Laughing Model on Humor: Responses in College Students." Psychological Reports 48.1 (1981): 35-40.

Bryant, Jennings, D. Brown, A. Silberberg, and S. Elliot. "Effects of Humorous Illustrations in College Textbooks." Human Communication Research 8 (1981): 43-57.

Bryant, Jennings, Paul Comisky, and Dolf Zillman. "The Relationship between College Teachers' Use of Humor in the Classroom and the Students' Evaluation of their Teachers." Journal of Educational Psychology 74 (1980): 511-519.

Bryant, Jennings, Paul Comisky, and Dolf Zillmann. "Teachers' Humor in the College Classroom." Communication Education. 28 (1979): 110-18.

Bryant, Jennings, Jon S. Crane, Paul W. Comisky and Dolf Zillmann. "Relationship between College Teachers' Use of Humor in the Classroom and Students' Evaluations of Their Teachers." Journal of Educational Psychology. 72.4 (1980): 511-19.

Bryant, Jennings, J. Gula, and Dolf Zillman. "Humor in Communication Textbooks." Communication Education 29 (1980): 125-134.

Burbach, H. J., and C. E. Babbitt. "Exploration of the Social Functions of Humor among College Students in Wheelchairs." Journa of Rehabilitation 47.8 (1993): 678-683.

Carlinsky, Dan, ed. College Humor. New York, NY: Harper and Row, 1982.

Carroll, James L. "Changes in Humor Appreciation of College Students in the Last Twenty-Five Years." Psychological Reports 65.3 (1989): 863-866.

Chayat, Sherry. "JAP' Baiting on the College Scene." Lileth 17 (1987).

Civikly, Jean. "Humor the the Enjoyment of College Teaching." New Directions for Teaching and Learning. 26 (1986): 61-70.

Cohen, Judith Beth. "Laughing in the Classroom: How Humor Enhances Education." English Leadership Quarterly 18.3 (1996): 2-4.

Clark, John R. "Desolation and Decorum: The Teaching of Modern Satire." Studies in Contemporary Satire 4 (1977): 1-13.

Cook, Guy. Language Play, Language Learning. New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 2000.

Cornett, Claudia E. Learning through Laughter: Humor in the Classroom. Bloomington, IN: Phi Delta Kappa Educational Foundation. 1986.

Coser, R. L. "Laughter among Colleagues." Psychiatry 23 (1960): 81-95.

Curnutt, Kirk. "Parody and Pedagogy: Teaching Style, Voice, and Authorial Intent in the Works of Gertrude Stein." College Literature Essays, June, 1996: 1-24.

Danilov, Victor J. University and College Museums, Galleries, and Related Facilities: A Descriptie

Directory. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1996.

Downs, Valerie C., Manoochehr Javadivi, and Jon F. Nussbaum. "An Analysis of Teachers' Verbal Communication within the Classroom: Use of Humor, Self-Disclosure, and Narratives." Communication Education 37.2 (1988), 127-141.

Droz, Marilyn, and Lori Ellis. Laughing While Learning: Using Humor in the Classroom. Longmont, CO: Sopris West, 1996.

Endlich, E. "Teaching the Psychology of Humor." Teaching of Psychology." 20.3 (1993): 181-183.

Fearing, Bertie E. "Special Issue: Humor in the Junior College Curriculum." Teaching English in the Two-Year College 14.2 (1987).

Franzini, L. R., M. J. Rodin, and S. Haggerty. "Humorous Postings by University Faculty." HUMOR: International Journal of Humor Research 11 (1998): 33-41.

Führ, Martin. "Some Aspects on Form and Function of Humor in Early Adolescence." HUMOR: International Journal of Humor Research 14.1 (2001): 25-36.

Gerler, William R. Educator's Treasury of Humor for All Occasions. West Nyack, NY: Parker Publishing Co., 1972.

Gigliotti, E. "Let Me Entertain...er...Teach You: Gaining Attention through the Use of Slide Shows." Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing. 26 (1995): 31-34.

Gorham, Joan, and Diane M. Christophel. "The Relationship of Teachers' Use of Humor in the Classroom to Immediacy and Student Learning." Communication Education 39.1 (1990): 46-62.

Graeven, P. B., and S. J. Morris. "College Humor in 1930 and 1972: An Investigatioon Using the Humor Diary." Sociological and Social Research. 59 (1975): 406-410.

Green, Thomas A., and Sylvia Ann Grider. "Reversal of Competence in College Drinking Games." Play and Culture 3.2 (May, 1990): 117-32.

Harris, Sidney. Can't You Guys Read? Cartoons on Academia. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press, 1991.

Harrison, N. "Using Humour as an Educational Technique." Professional Nurse. 11 (1995): 198-199.

Hill, Deborah J. Humor in the Classroom: A Handbook for Teachers (and Other Entertainers!). Springfield, IL: Charles C. Thomas, 1988.

Hill, Deborah J. School Days, Fun Days: Creative Ways to Teach Humor Skills in the Classroom. Springfield, IL: Charles C. Thomas, 1993.

Hillman, S. M. "Laugh and Learn: Humor in Nursing Education." Journal of Nursing Jocularity 5 (1995): 32-34.

Hixson, Vivian Scott. He Looks Too Happy to be an Assistant Professor: Categories of Academic Cartoons. Columbia, MO: University of Missouri Press, 1996.

Johnson, A. M. "Sex Differences in the Jokes College Students Tell." Psychological Reports 68.,3 (1991): 851-854.

Johnson, H. A. "Humor as an Innovative Method for Teaching Sensitive Topics." Educational Gerontology 16.6 (1990): 547-559.

Kiernan, Henry, ed. "Humor and Laughter" a special issue of English Leadership Quarterly 18.3 (1996): 1-16.

Korobkin, Debra. "Humor in the Classroom: Considerations and Strategies." College Teaching 36.4 (1988): 154-158.

Larson, Gary. "Humorous Teaching Makes Serious Learning." Teaching English in the Two-Year College. 8.3 (1982): 197-199.

Loomans, Diane, and Karen Kolberg. The Laughing Classroom. Tiburon, CA: H. J. Kramer, 1993.

Lundgren, C. A., and P. R. Graves. "Funny Business: Should Humor Be Part of Teaching Business Education?" Business Education Forum 48.4 (1994): 11-13.

McGhee, Paul E. How to Develop Your Sense of Humor: An 8-Step Humor Development Training Program. Dubuque, IA: Kendall/Hunt, 1994.

McGhee, Paul E. Humor Log for the 8-Step Humor Development Training Program. Dubuque, IA: Kendall/Hunt, 1994.

McGhee, Paul E. Willibald Ruch, and Franz-Josef Hehl. "A Personality-Based Model of Humor Development during Adulthood." Humor: International Journal of Humor Research 3.2 (1990): 119-146.

McMahon, Maureen. "Are We Having Fun Yet? Humor in the English Class." English Journal 88.4 (1999): 70-72.

Meeks, Lynn Langer. "Making English Classrooms Happier Places to Learn." English Journal 88.4 (1999): 73-81.

Mindess, Harvey. Not Just a Matter of Degree: 20+ Years at Antioch-Los Angeles. Los Angeles, CA: Outspoken Press, 1996.

Morris, Barbra S. "Why Is George So Funny? Television Comedy, Trickster Heroism, and Cultural Studies." English Journal 88.4 (1999): 47-52.

Moses, N. W., and M. M. Friedman. "Using Humor in Evaluating Student Performance." Journal of Nursing Education 25 (1986): 328-333.

Murray, Thomas E. "Swearing as a Function of Gender in the Language of Midwestern American College Students: Who Does It More, What Do They Say, When and Where Do They Do It, and Why Do They Do It?" Maledicta 11 (1990-1995): 139-151.

Ness, M. E. "The Use of Humorous Journal Articles in Counselor Training." Counselor Education and Supervision 29 (1989): 35-43.

Neuliep, James W. "An Examniation of the Content of High School lTeacher's Humor in the Classroom and the Development of an Inductively Derived Taxonomy of Classroom Humor." Communication Education 40.4 (1991): 343-355.

Nilsen, Alleen Pace. "In Defense of Humor." College English 56.8 (1994), 928-933.

Nilsen, Alleen Pace. "Language for Fun: Humor in America." in Living Language: Reading, Thinking and Writing. Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon, 1999, 195-225.

Nilsen, Alleen Pace. "Using Humor to Crack the Glass Ceiling." Initiatives: Journal of the National Association for Women in Education 56.2 (1994): 1-14.

Nilsen, Alleen Pace, and Don L. F. Nilsen. "Acquisition of a Sense of Humor," "Riddles," "School Humor." Encyclopedia of 20th Century American Humor. Phoenix, AZ: Oryx Press, 2000, 9-11, 256-257, 263-266.

Nilsen, Alleen Pace, and Don L. F. Nilsen. "The Straw Man Meets His Match: Six Arguments for Studying Humor in English Classes." English Journal 88.4 (1999): 34-42.

Nilsen, Don L. F. "Humor and Creativity: Three Types--Ah!, AHA!, and HAHA!." The Creative Child and Adult Quarterly 15.4 (1990): 203-205.

Nilsen, Don L. F. "Humor, Maturity, and Education." Humor Scholarship: A Research Bibliography. Westport, CT: Greenwood, 1993, 259-286.

Nilsen, Don L. F. "Humor Studies Related to Composition, Rhetoric, and Discourse Theory." English Leadership Quarterly 18.3 (1996): 10-12.

Oaks, Dallin D. "Some Humor Software Matters: A Review of `Mind Seducing Riddles'." English Leadership Quarterly 18.3 (1996): 13.

Ohliger, J. "You Shall Know the Truth and the Truth Shall Make You Laugh." Journal of Adult Education 19.1 (1990): 25-38.

Oppliger, Patrice A., and Dolf Zillman. "Disgust in Humor: Its Appeal to Adolescents." HUMOR: International Journal of Humor Research 10.4 (1997): 421-438.

Parkin, C. J. "Humor, Health, and Higher Education: Laughing Matters." Journal of Nursing Education 28 (1989): 229-230.

Parrott, T. E. "Humor as a Teaching Strategy." Nurse Educator 19 (1994): 36-38.

Pease, R. A. "Cartoon Humor in Nursing Education." Nursing Outlook 39 (1991): 262-267.

Powell, J. P., and L. W. Andresen. "Humour and Teaching in Higher Education." Studies in Higher Education. 10.1 (1985): 74-90.

Ransohoff, Rita. "Development Aspects of Humour and Laughter in Young Adolescent Girls." It's a Funny Thing, Humour. Eds. Antony Chapman. NY: Pergamon, 1977, 319-20.

Rhem, J. "Research Watch: Humor in the Classroom." The National Teaching and Learning Forum 7 (1998): 10-12.

Riggs, Robert, Patricia Murrell, and Joanne Cutting. Sexual Harassment in Higher Education: From Conflict to Community. Washington, DC: George Washjington University Press, 1993.

Robbins, J. "Using Humor to Enhance Learning in the Skills Laboratory." Nurse Educator 19 (1994): 39-41.

Ruggieri, Colleen A. "Laugh and Learn: Using Humor to Teach Tragedy." English Journal 88.4 (1999): 53-58.

Scheff, Thomas, and Sabina White. Laughter and Stress: An Educationa Programming Handbook for the College Community. Santa Barbara, CA: Univ of Cal Laughter Project, 1984.

Schimel, John L. "Reflections on the Function of Humor in Psychotherapy, Especially with Adolescents." Advances in Humor and Psychotherapy. Eds. Fry, William F., and Waleed A.

Salameh. Sarasota, FL: Professional Resource Press, 1993, 47-56.

Schimmelpfennig, J. Parkhurst, ed. Uneeda Review. NY: Nick Lyons, 1984.

Shannon, Donna M. "What Children Find Humorous in the Books They Read and How They Express their Responses." HUMOR: International Journal of Humor Research 12.2 (1999): 119-150.

Shea, U. "The Perception of Faculty and Students Concerning the Use of Humor in Nursing Education." Unpublished Ph.D. Dissertation, University of Massachusetts, 1991.

Sheppard, Alice. "Developmental Levels in Explanations of Humour from Childhood to Late Adolescence." It's a Funny Thing, Humour. Eds. Antony Chapman and Hugh Foot. NY: Pergamon, 1977, 225-28.

Smith, MIchael K., and Gail Reaves. "Some Sorority and Fraternity Nicknames." Maledicta 11 (1990-1995): 133-137.

Sobstad, Frode. Humor I Pedagogisk/Humor in Educational Work. Oslo, Norway: Tano Forlag, 1995.

Soles, Derek. "The Profrock Makeover: Humor in the English Class." English Journal 88.4 (1999): 59-61.

Spector, C. C. "Linguistic Humor Comprehension of Normal and Language Impaired Adolescents." Journal of Speech and Hearing Disorders 55 (1990): 533-541.

Stopsky, Fred. "Humor: The Missing Ingredient to Successful Education." English Leadership Quarterly 18.3 (1996): 5-6.

Struthers, J. "An Exploration into the Role of Humor in the Nursing Student-Nurse Teacher Relationship." Journal of Advanced Nursing 19 (1994): 486-491.

Stuart, William D., and Lawrence B. Rosenfeld. "Student Perceptions of Teacher Humor and Classroom Climate." Communication Research Reports 11.1 (1994): 87-97.

Tamborini, Ron, and Dolf Zillman. "College Students' Perceptions of Lectures Using Humor." Perceptual and Motor Skills 52 (1981): 427-432.

Tatum, Tom. "Cruel and Unusual PUNishment (LOW Humor Is Better Than NO Humor)." English Journal 88.4 (1999): 62-65.

Unland, M. K., and B. Kleiner. "How to Enhance Your Sense of Humor." Agency Sales Magazine. 25 (1995): 56-61.

Vitulli, William F., and Jane M. Barbin. "Humor Value Assessment as a Function of Sex, Age, and Education." Psychological Reports 69 (1991): 1155-1164.

Vitulli, William F., and Kimberly E. Tyler. "Sex-Related Attitudes toward Humor among High-School and College Students." Psychological Reports 63.4 (1988): 616-618.

Wandersee, J. H. "Humor as a Teaching Strategy." The American Biology Teacher 44 (1982): 212-218.

Warnock, Peter. "Humor as a Didactic Tool in Adult Education." Lifelong Learning: An Omnibus of Practice and Research 12 (1989): 22-24.

Watson, M. J., and S. Emerson. "Facilitate Learning with Humor." Journal of Nursing Education 27 (1988): 89-90.

Wechsler, Robert, ed. Humor for Grownups. North Haven, CT: Catbird Press, 1999.

Welker, William A. "Humor in Education: A Foundation for Wholesome Living." College Student Journal 11 (1977): 252-54.

White, L. A., and D. J. Lewis. "Humor: A Teaching Strategy to Promote Learning." Journal of Nursing Staff Development 6 (1990): 60-64.

Woodward, K. S. "College-Course File: American Film Comedy." Journal of Film and Video 42.2 (1990): 71-84.

Zajdman, Anat. "Humorous Events in the Classroom: The Teachers' Perspective." Journal of Research and Development in Education 26.2 (1993): 106-115.

Zajdman, Anat. "Humorous FTAs--Humor as Strategy." Journal of Pragmatics. 23 (1995): 325-339.

Zillman, Dolf, and Jennings Bryant. "Uses and Effects of Humor in Educational Ventures." Handbook of Humor Research. Ed. Paul E. McGee and Jeffrey H. Goldstein. New York, NY: Springer-Verlag, 1983: 173-193.

Ziv, Avner. "The Influence of Humorous Atmosphere on Divergent Thinking." Contemporary Educational Psychology 8 (1983): 68-75.

Ziv, Avner. "Teaching and Learning with Humor: Experiment and Replication." Journal of Experimental Education 57 (1988): 5-15.

Ziv, Avner, Eli Gorenstein, and Anat Moris. "Adolescents' Evaluation of Teachers Using Disparaging Humour." Educational Psychology. 6.1 (1986): 37-44.

Zupicich, Maryln Mae. "Teaching the Way We Think: An Argument for Novel Metaphor as an Educational Tool." Unpublished MA Thesis. Tempe, AZ: Arizona State University, 1992.