%0 Journal Article
%T The motive of competition but not courtship positively correlates with self-reported use of aggressive humor: a critical test of the contests- vs. mate-choice hypotheses
%J Frontiers in psychology
%D 2022
%A Duarte, Brent
%A Zhang, Jinguang
%V 13
%N 
%P e1056217-e1056217
%X INTRODUCTION: The use of aggressive humor (e.g., teasing, schadenfreude, and sarcasm) is a spiteful behavior because it inflicts costs on both others and the self. To explain the existence of this spiteful behavior, two hypotheses derived from sexual selection theory-namely Mate-Choice and Contests-posit that the use of aggressive humor helps one attract mates or repel competitors. Both hypotheses have merit, but extant data are unable to discriminate between them. <br><br>METHODS: We critically tested those two hypotheses with a survey study that measured 509 U.S. MTurkers' self-reported tendencies to use aggressive (and other types of) humor, the motives to engage in competition and courtship, and the Dark-Triad personality traits. The final sample was N = 439. <br><br>RESULTS: We found that (1) the motive of competition but not courtship positively and significantly correlated with the self-reported tendency to use aggressive humor. (2) Subclinical psychopathy-a personality trait positively associated with competition-mediated the correlation between the motive of competition and self-reported use of aggressive humor. These results were held in both female and male respondents. <br><br>DISCUSSION: Our findings favored the Contests Hypothesis and helped reveal the psychological mechanism that generates the use of aggressive humor as a form of verbal aggression and spiteful behavior.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>
%G en
%I Frontiers Research Foundation
%@ 1664-1078
%U http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1056217