Teasing

Teasing has been of primary importance in research on socialization because of its ambiguity both as a means to strengthen solidarity through the creation of intimacy, or through enforcement of conformity to in-group behavior, whether it be within the family, the classroom, or other social categories. Among the important features of a tease is that the target be a present participant in the conversation; thus, teasing is a phenomenon that emerges in interaction, playing with the meaning and using the context and the interpersonal knowledge participants have of each other to create a double-edged sword that can both bond and bite. Teasing has been seen as a continuum that goes from bullying to banter. There is, however, a debate in the literature on the biting and bonding qualities of teasing. On one side, it is stated that teasing excludes aggressiveness by definition, as it is mock disrespect. On the other side, it is seen as covertly aggressive behavior. Research on the perception of teasing suggests that one’s role as teaser or tease recipient determines which view is held. In addition, the power relationship between teaser and tease recipient might also be a determining factor in these perceptions. In the end, ambiguity is at the center of research in conversational joking and humorous interaction in both its dangerous edge and its bonding potential. The need to signal the play frame with disclaimers, such as “just kidding,” reveals that as far as the target goes, teasing can indeed bite despite the intentions of the teaser. This entry discusses how teasing works and the purpose it serves.

Teasing is structured around the relationship between the teaser and the teased, since teasing must be directed to a participant in the interaction; this includes self-directed teasing. Teasing occurs primarily among intimates (friends, family, partners) since teasing among strangers is more likely to be misunderstood. Studies of teasing in the classroom and work context—where the power differential is a major concern—center around differentiating this behavior from bullying and harassment. The difficulty in making the distinction is not only due to the lack of cues or disclaimers but in ascertaining the intentionality of the exchange. While jokes involve incongruity resolution, sarcasm, and irony, teasing relies on incongruity of meaning. In other words, what is said is not what is meant, but what is meant is actually never said. The content of a tease is assumed to be always negative; nonetheless, cases have been registered where the tease is meant to challenge fixed roles and create new positive ones. That can be seen in the following examples from Florencia Cortés-Conde and Diana Boxer (2010).

Female 1: I told her [to Female 3] she needs a little action

Female 2: yeah, a little action

Female 3: He called …

In the context of challenging female identities as less sexually aggressive, the first two women tease the third one about needing “a little action” (meaning a sexual encounter). The content might seem negative, but there is no bite in this tease. In general, however, teasing can function as underestimation or permissible disrespect that reinforce hierarchical roles (mother, father, older sibling, etc.) or peer relationships (friends, colleagues, etc.). It can be a way to correct errors or behavior, while at the same time permitting the interlocutor to save face, a way to release aggression in a play format. A tease can lead to a retort from the target and other playful turns and this multiturn tease is considered

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