Factor Analysis of Humor Items

Factor analysis of humor items is used to derive new concepts (i.e., identify “functional units,” or components of humor) in a yet unexplored domain and to purify scales (i.e., identify items that do not measure the construct very well and need reformulating or eliminating). The purpose of the former is to provide a new structure to a field by deriving single concepts, or an entire model of humor; the purpose of the latter is to improve an existing humor scale. Humor items that have much in common will load on the same factor, that is, will be markers of a component (for example, “I enjoy joking around with others” and “I use humor to foster group morale” can be markers of social aspects of humor ...