In the workplace setting, females are much less likely to receive positive reception after telling a joke than males are. Why is this?
According to Dr. Judith Baxter (linguist expert), it is due to a couple factors, the first of which being the difference in type of humor used. Males typically use “flippant, off-the-cuff witticisms or banter” (80%) while females use “self-deprecating humor” (70% of the time). For males, 90% of the time their jokes were received by a positive response (laughter) – for females, 80% of their jokes resulted in silence.
This study (or observation) was done over an 18-month period with seven different companies (2 of which are in the FTSE 100). Each individual board meeting observed was lead by a 50/50 split of male and female.
At this point, you may be thinking that perhaps the reason for the discrepancy in reception of jokes is because boardrooms tend to be male-dominated, and it would make sense if males found male humor funnier relative to female humor. However, a few Ph.D’s from UC San Diego focused on this theory and found that females also find male humor funnier (although not quite to the same degree that males do) in this study.
So what does this all mean? We all know how important humor is in developing social connections, but what about in the workplace? It can create a productive environment and stronger bond between employees. Dr. Baxter also says that,
“Men are using [humor] as a leadership tool, to ensure that they are part of the leadership tribe. The use of humor reinforces membership, whereas women don’t have access to the range of humor men do. If they use the jocular abuse that men use, that would be viewed negatively.”
Drawing from my own experience in the work-life (which I admit, is a relatively small data set), generally, I would have to agree with what Baxter says. If I imagine a female telling the kinds of jokes that I often hear in the office (for most part), they would be viewed in bad taste.
This reminds me of a previous thread on WSO. I know of many other first-generation workers, some successful -- some not. The main differentiator between them is their ability to assimilate within the work place through cultural ties with their superiors. I've found a lot of the time, it's done through humor and small talk. Is this the same barrier for females?
- Have you observed this “shortcoming” in humor for females in the workplace?
- If you have, do you view this shortcoming as a flaw in the ability to lead a group?
- For the females, have you experienced this at all?
- Can anything be done to remove this “social stigma” within the workplace?
- Your “self-deprecating humor” is more likely to result in silence
- Males relate better to jokes from other males
- Your jokes if actually crude / funny are often viewed in "bad taste"
So to summarize, the 3 reasons your jokes are falling flat:
I'm not saying it's fair... I'm just saying this is what the researchers postulate. Sorry ladies, please dont ms on me too much.
OP should rent Wanda Sykes, funny as hell
false
Lampanelli was funny for the first 3 minutes until I got sick of her talking about how many black sausages she can cram in her gaping meat hole.
Silverman's show was funny as hell to me, never really watched her standup.
Tina Fey is awesome in my book. Probably cause she was smoking when I first saw her.
For standup though, a lot of women do suck... there are still some pretty good ones though. I just don't understand how some of them get 30 minute specials on Comedy Central (goes for some men too).
I don't know what it is, but women simply aren't funny. I mean that in the most non-denigrating, matter-of-factly way possible. It's gotta b like a biological/ psychological thing or something. Like every rule, however, there are exceptions (which by no means invalidate the rule). For example, that fat bitch that does the roasts that always jokes about how much she likes fucking black guys makes me lol.
sarah silverman and margaret cho are both unfunny AND unattractive
that's no small feat
lol "ms" = monkey shit
silverman is kinda hot, what's wrong with you
tina fey that bish always makin me laugh on 30 rock, and she head writer 2 boot. sarah silverman shes hilarious. kristen wiig really talented, and tho a lot of SNL sketches just straight bomb yo, u can blame the writers 4 that.
chris hitch sayin bishes who r funny r funny b/c they emulatin male humor? maybe...but he tryna define analyze humor. you cant do that. you cant confine humor to a definition or any definitive analysis. humor is an amoeba conceptually; it take a milli forms.
"First-generation workers" you say... Are the family no longer members of the landed gentry?
This article by the late Christopher Hitchens goes further in asking "why women aren't funny?" in a general sense. It's pretty once sided being from Hitchens, but it references a Stanford Medical study. It might be useful to see what that study actually says.
http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/features/2007/01/hitchens200701
Eddie beat me to it... with video as well.
silverman has an unfair edge because she was born a man
It's because there's no kitchen in comedy.
hahahaha
A woman doesn't have to crack jokes in the office to be seen as one of the guys, she just has to laugh at them like one of the guys.
I'd have to agree...women tend not to be very funny especially in the office.
One time a woman in the office made a joke at a happy hour about someone not getting enough head...it was kind of hot, I look at her differently now.
are there women even on this website
All of my female coworkers/supervisors have been very serious/driven. Every. Single. One. I think I know one female in business who has a sense of humor, and I don't work with her.
I wouldn't know if they are funny or not...I haven't seen them try.
agreed.
Good point. But if you look at the study I linked above, specifically the observation for the 80% silence vs 90% positive reception for females/males, (I think) it refers to boardroom meetings led by each gender.
I would assume that whoever is leading that meeting is likely to be a pretty high ranking person. It would be different if the observations were made in a more general sense, ie, jokes made on the office floor.
I'd have to agree as well, especially even more so at work. I do have several girl friends who are simply stupid funny, but they categorize themselves as 'I'm not like other girls..."
If you ever had the opportunity(?) to work at an office with dominant female presence, then you'll understand that office atmosphere is nothing like male-oriented office. It's not necessarily who you have to deal with on a daily basis. If the office is packed with women, everything is different. Working hours can be brutal as hell. You'll laugh from time to time, but most of the time, the best you'll get from them is a semi-smile up your face that'll last about 0.3 seconds. This is assuming that they actually try humor. Seriously, at work, they just work.
These comments are very interesting to me...I'm now extremely paranoid that when the men in the office laugh at my jokes/banter with me, they are faking it.
But, I don't really do or understand the self-deprecating "jokes"...why point out your faults in a professional setting? I usually exchange banter/jabs with my male colleagues, just as I always have with male friends. We dish it, and we take it...doesn't seem really to be a "gendered" thing to me.
I will say, though, that I can't stand the self-deprecating stuff and could understand why men and women would not find it funny...because it's not really humor. When would calling yourself ugly in a joking manner ever be amusing? It would just lead to severe awkwardness. I don't think anyone I work with (women included) does that, though.
Hmmm, a woman not understanding humor.... Louis C.K. shits on himself all the time and it's fucking hilarious.
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