Multidimensional Sense of Humor Scale (MSHS)
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| Authors |
James A. Thorson and F. C. Powell |
| Category |
Self-report scale |
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Description |
The MSHS contains 24 statements that respondants rate on a five-point Likert scale from 0 (strongly disagree) to 4 (strongly agree). Eighteen statements are positively-phrased and six are negatively-phrased to control for response-set bias. |
| Number
of Items |
24 items |
| Measures |
In addition to an overall Sense of Humor score, factor analysis of the MSHS indicates four principal factors: (1) humor creativity and uses of humor for social purposes, (2) uses of coping humor, (3) appreciation of humorous people, and (4) appreciation of humor. |
| Population |
Adults |
|
Applications |
The MSHS is useful for comparing groups on sense of humor for determining correlates between sense of humor and other personality variables. |
| Time |
10 minutes or less |
| Availability |
On the ISHS website or from the first author at jthorson@mail.unomaha.edu |
| Validity
& Reliability Information |
Internal reliability
good (alpha = .92). Additional reliability
and validity information can be found in: Kohler, G., & Ruch, W. (1996).
Sources of variance in current sense of humor inventories. Humor:
International Journal of Humor Research, 9, 363-397.
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Reference
Articles |
Thorson,
J.A., & Powell, F.C. (1991). Measurement of sense of humor. Psychological
Reports, Thorson, J.A., & Powell, F.C. (1993). Development and validation of a Multidimensional Sense of Humor Scale. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 49, 13-23. Thorson, J.A., & Powell, F.C. (1993). Sense of Humor and dimensions of personality. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 49, 799-809. Thorson, J.A., & Powell, F.C. (1996). Women, aging, and sense of humor. Humor: International Journal of Humor Research, 9, 169-186. |
| Online
Materials |
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