The relationship between humor and trust

A series of studies has shown that humor and intimacy are closely related Since trust is an essential part of intimacy, it was hypothesized that there would be a close correlation between humor and trust. The Trust versus Mistrust Scale of the Measures of Psychosocial Development, Coping Humor Scale, Multidimensional Sense of Humor Scale, and Situational Humor Response Questionnaire were given to 89 subjects. There were significant correlations between the Trust versus Mistrust Scale and each of the humor scabs. The positive relationship between trust and humor was explained in terms of such mediating variables as extroversion, stress reduction, and self-esteem. It was suggested that future studies should investigate the relationship between humor and other variables associated with intimacy and trust, such as self-disclosure.