Humor subversivo contra el sexismoAnálisis de su entidad empírica y de su influencia sobre la confrontación del sexismo

Abstract

Among its multiple functions, humor can reinforce inequalities between different social groups (disparagement humor), or on the contrary, it can function as a tool to question such inequalities, trying to subvert hierarchies and social asymmetries (subversive humor). Specifically, this doctoral thesis focuses on the psychosocial study of a specific type of subversive humor, that is, subversive humor against sexism or feminist humor, whose function is to redefine sexist attitudes, as well as gender roles and stereotypes, acting as a tool to change the subordination of women and empower them (Case & Lippard, 2009). The few empirical approaches around this type of humor (e.g., Case & Lippard, 2009) have been aimed at analyzing the content of supposedly subversive jokes against sexism, following ambiguous selection and classification criteria and without showing evidence that really this humor has its own conceptual entity and differentiated from other types of humor, nor that there is empirical evidence that it has the supposed social effect of subverting sexism. In addition, it is theoretically suggested that subversive humor against sexism has interpretative peculiarities due to its ambiguous nature, for example, it is proposed that interpreting subversive humor in the direction of subverting (vs. reinforcing) the social inequalities, depends on the attitudes of the recipients (Miller et al., 2019). After addressing the main theoretical aspects around subversive humor against sexism, we proposed three specific objectives with which we carried out a total of seven empirical studies to answer the questions that still remain to be resolved in the literature. In the first place, we analyze the empirical and conceptual entity of subversive humor with respect to neutral humor and man disparagement humor, establishing the first differential correlates with respect to attitudes. To do this, we conducted the first three studies. In study 1, three experts in the field of sexism and two experts in the field of humor, analyzed the content validity of a set of subversive humorous stimuli in comparison with the humor stimuli of men disparagement humor and neutral humor. In Study 2 (n = 203), an Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) was carried out which isolated the three factors identified as subversive humor against sexism, neutral humor and man disparagement humor. In study 3 (n = 229) these results were replicated through a Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) and positive relationships were obtained between subversive humor against sexism, feminist identity and collective action for gender equality. Second, we analyze the empirical entity of subversive humor against sexism with respect to sexist humor and explore the relationship that maintains its appreciation and interpretation with respect to certain attitudinal variables (i.e., feminist identity and hostile sexism). For this objective, we conducted two studies. In study 4 (n = 202), we verified through a Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) the independence of subversive humor with respect to sexist humor. Likewise, the pattern of relationships between feminist identity and the appreciation and interpretation of subversive humor against sexism was the opposite of that found between feminist identity and the appreciation and interpretation of sexist humor. The same happened with the relations between hostile sexism and subversive humor vs. sexist humor. In Study 5 (n = 169), we experimentally manipulated the type of humor. The pattern of interactions between humor type and feminist identity was the opposite of that found between humor type and hostile sexism. Both studies revealed that the appreciation of subversive humor, as well as the interpretation of criticism of sexism was higher in the more feminist participants. Finally, to carry out the third objective, that is, to study the motivating role of subversive humor in the social subversion of sexism, we focus on collective action for gender equality, following the Social Identity Model of Collective Action (van Zomeren et al., 2008) and the Elaboration Probability Model (Petty & Cacioppo, 1986) as framework. To do this, we conducted two studies in which we measured the feminist identification of the participants and manipulated subversive humor versus neutral humor. In study 6 (n = 135) we measured the proclivity to collective action, finding that subversive humor (vs. neutral humor) increased this proclivity in participants with weaker feminist identity. This result was replicated in study 7 (n = 134), and was also found in a measure of behavioral intention closer to real behavior. In conclusion, after studying the empirical and independent nature of subversive humor against sexism with respect to other types of humor (i.e., humor of denigration of men, sexist humor, neutral humor) and highlighting its interpretative peculiarities based on attitudes (i.e., feminist identity and hostile sexism), we propose the use of this type of humor as a tool to motivate the mobilization of lower feminist identifiers to achieve gender equality. REFERENCIAS/REFERENCES Case, C. E., & Lippard, C. D. (2009). Humorous assaults on patriarchal ideology. Sociological Inquiry, 79(2), 240–255. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1475- 682X.2009.00282.x Miller, S. S., O ́Dea, C. J., Lawless, T. J., & Saucier, D. A. (2019). Savage or satire: Individual differences in perceptions of disparaging and subversive racial humor. Personality and Individual Differences, 142, 28–41. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2019.01.029 Petty, R. E., & Cacioppo, J. T. (1986). Communication and persuasion. Springer– Verlag. van Zomeren, M., Postmes, T., & Spears, R. (2008). Toward an integrative social identity model of collective action: A quantitative research synthesis of three socio-psychological perspectives. Psychological Bulletin, 134(4), 504– 535. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.134.4.504