Humor Styles Questionnaire (HSQ)
Measures four dimensions of humor relating to how individuals use humor in their everyday lives.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Humor Styles Questionnaire (HSQ) was developed by Rod A. Martin, Patricia Puhlik-Doris, Gwendolyn Larsen, Jeanette Gray, Kelly Weir (2003). It is designed to measure Humor Styles. The scale is intended for use with Adults.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 32 items organized into 4 factors/subscales: Affiliative, Self-enhancing, Aggressive, Self-defeating.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Affiliative | 1,5,9,13,17,21,25,29 | 8 |
| Self-enhancing | 2,6,10,14,18,22,26,30 | 8 |
| Aggressive | 3,7,11,15,19,23,27,31 | 8 |
| Self-defeating | 4,8,12,16,20,24,28,32 | 8 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a 7-point Likert scale (1 = Strongly Disagree to 7 = Strongly Agree).
The scale includes 11 reverse-scored items to reduce acquiescence bias.
Scoring
Items are scored by subscale, with each subscale sum representing a distinct dimension.
Total scores range from 8 to 56. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low: 8 – 24
- Average: 25 – 40
- High: 41 – 56
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Affiliative (alpha 0.80), Self-enhancing (alpha 0.81), Aggressive (alpha 0.77), Self-defeating (alpha 0.80).
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 10 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.