Why Telling Jokes Could Increase Trust in Science

Science may have earned a reputation for being dry and serious. However, as we have long suspected at IFLScience, new research suggests that adding a little humor not only makes science more fun but more trustworthy, too.

“When used responsibly, humor is a powerful tool that can humanize scientists and create meaningful connections with the public on social media,” Alexandra Lynn Frank, a doctoral student at the Grady College of Mass Communication at the University of Georgia, said in a statement. 

Frank and colleagues came to this conclusion after presenting participants with cartoons posted to an X/Twitter account belonging to a made-up scientist called Dr Jamie Devon.

A nationally-representative sample of more than 2,000 people were involved, each of whom was asked to report how humorous they found the posts and how likable they found the scientist, as well as how legitimate they believed the content to be.  

There were eight variations of the cartoon, and each participant was shown one. In every case, the subject of the joke was artificial intelligence (AI) and self-driving cars. However, the type of humor differed, fitting into one of four categories – no humor (the control), anthropomorphism (a joke that involves animals or objects that act as if they are human), Horatian satire (which gently mocks), or a combination of anthropomorphism and Horatian satire. 

Participants rated a combination of anthropomorphism and Horatian satire as the funniest. The researchers also found that humor was positively associated with the perceived likability of the scientist who posted the content.

As the researchers note, humor has long been a tool employed by politicians and entertainers to instill trust and favorability. Think of the beer test, which suggests voters are more likely to select the candidate they perceive as more likeable, or would prefer to have a pint with (not that this is always a successful indicator of electoral success).

“Politicians, entertainers, and advertisers often use humor because people tend to like and connect with people who can make them laugh,” said Frank. 

“When people find something funny, they’re usually less likely to argue with or reject the message or the person delivering it. Our research supports this idea. We found that humor can aid scientists’ communication efforts, but only if people think they’re funny.”

In fact, Frank and her colleagues found a bad joke can actually adversely affect any attempts to foster trustworthiness. Equally, it is important to consider the type of humor being used, as the researchers found sarcasm and aggressive jokes can undermine scientific credibility.

These findings are correlational rather than causational, so we cannot conclusively conclude that humor increases trust. However, the results do suggest that taking an overly serious approach to science communication might not be the best tactic. This could be particularly important when it comes to fighting misinformation, especially in an era when scientific research is coming under attack.

“By leveraging humor, scientists can simplify complex concepts, making them more relatable and easier to understand. This approach not only fosters goodwill but also has the potential to dispel misinformation in a friendly manner,” said Frank. 

“Moreover, humor can spark curiosity, motivating people to seek out additional information on important scientific topics.”

The study is published in the Journal of Science Communication.