Now This Made Me Laugh...

[Max Mosley 2]

Humour 'comes from testosterone'

Men are naturally more comedic than women because of the male hormone testosterone, an expert claims.

Men make more gags than women and their jokes tend to be more aggressive, Professor Sam Shuster, of Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, says.

The unicycling doctor observed how the genders reacted to his "amusing" hobby.

Women tended to make encouraging, praising comments [EDIT: awwwwww ], while men jeered. The most aggressive were young men, he told the British Medical Journal.

Previous findings have suggested women and men differ in how they use and appreciate humour.

Women tend to tell fewer jokes than men and male comedians outnumber female ones.

Aggressively funny

Research suggests men are more likely to use humour aggressively by making others the butt of the joke.

And aggression - generally considered to be a more masculine trait - has been linked by some to testosterone exposure in the womb.

Professor Shuster believes humour develops from aggression caused by male hormones.

He documented the reaction of over 400 individuals to his unicycling antics through the streets of Newcastle upon Tyne.

Almost half of people responded verbally - more being men. Very few of the women made comic or snide remarks, while 75% of the men attempted comedy - mostly shouting out "Lost your wheel?", for example.

Mocking and sneering

Often the men's comments were mocking and intended as a put-down. Young men in cars were particularly aggressive - they lowered their windows and shouted abusively.

This type of behaviour decreased among older men however, who tended to offer more admiring comments, much like the women.

"The idea that unicycling is intrinsically funny does not explain the findings," said Professor Shuster.

The simplest explanation, he says, is the effect of male hormones such as testosterone.

And initial aggressive intent seems to become channelled into a more subtle and sophisticated joke, so the aggression is hidden by wit, claims Professor Shuster.

Dr Nick Neave is a psychologist at the University of Northumbria who has been studying the physical, behavioural, and psychological effects of testosterone.

He suggested men might respond aggressively because they see the other unicycling man as a threat, attracting female attention away from themselves.

"This would be particularly challenging for young males entering the breeding market and thus it does not surprise me that their responses were the more threatening."

Source: BBC

[pabloh20 1]

Humour 'comes from testosterone'

Men are naturally more comedic than women because of the male hormone testosterone, an expert claims.

Men make more gags than women and their jokes tend to be more aggressive, Professor Sam Shuster, of Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, says.

The unicycling doctor observed how the genders reacted to his "amusing" hobby.

Women tended to make encouraging, praising comments [EDIT: awwwwww ], while men jeered. The most aggressive were young men, he told the British Medical Journal.

Previous findings have suggested women and men differ in how they use and appreciate humour.

Women tend to tell fewer jokes than men and male comedians outnumber female ones.

Aggressively funny

Research suggests men are more likely to use humour aggressively by making others the butt of the joke.

And aggression - generally considered to be a more masculine trait - has been linked by some to testosterone exposure in the womb.

Professor Shuster believes humour develops from aggression caused by male hormones.

He documented the reaction of over 400 individuals to his unicycling antics through the streets of Newcastle upon Tyne.

Almost half of people responded verbally - more being men. Very few of the women made comic or snide remarks, while 75% of the men attempted comedy - mostly shouting out "Lost your wheel?", for example.

Mocking and sneering

Often the men's comments were mocking and intended as a put-down. Young men in cars were particularly aggressive - they lowered their windows and shouted abusively.

This type of behaviour decreased among older men however, who tended to offer more admiring comments, much like the women.

"The idea that unicycling is intrinsically funny does not explain the findings," said Professor Shuster.

The simplest explanation, he says, is the effect of male hormones such as testosterone.

And initial aggressive intent seems to become channelled into a more subtle and sophisticated joke, so the aggression is hidden by wit, claims Professor Shuster.

Dr Nick Neave is a psychologist at the University of Northumbria who has been studying the physical, behavioural, and psychological effects of testosterone.

He suggested men might respond aggressively because they see the other unicycling man as a threat, attracting female attention away from themselves.

"This would be particularly challenging for young males entering the breeding market and thus it does not surprise me that their responses were the more threatening."

Source: BBC

I'd agree with that, Muzza, well mostly anyway. I can't imagine any man seeing a unicycling man as a threat

[Kati 0]

Men are naturally more comedic than women because of the male hormone testosterone, an expert claims. = Men are naturally more comedic than women because of their '....' , an expert claims.

totally fair depending on who they used for research.

[pabloh20 1]

Men are naturally more comedic than women because of the male hormone testosterone, an expert claims. = Men are naturally more comedic than women because of their '....' , an expert claims.

totally fair depending on who they used for research.

Well, the grabbing the bollocks and coughing test was bit chilly this time of year, but other than that it was ok.

[Quiet One 15]

Your testosterone kills me!

[LabradoRacer 2]

The unicycling doctor observed how the genders reacted to his "amusing" hobby.

Well, excessive cycling can cause impotence in males, thereby leading to death of humour?

[Quiet One 15]

Well, excessive cycling can cause impotence in males, thereby leading to death of humour?

No, that's marriage.

[pabloh20 1]

No, that's marriage.

[LabradoRacer 2]

Have you separated?

[pabloh20 1]

Have you separated?

How many times now, Jay? I think you're a cool guy and all that, but I'm just not in the market anymore, no matter how many times you ask!

[Max Mosley 2]

Men are naturally more comedic than women because of the male hormone testosterone, an expert claims. = Men are naturally more comedic than women because of their '....' , an expert claims.

totally fair depending on who they used for research.

Ouch!

How many times now, Jay? I think you're a cool guy and all that, but I'm just not in the market anymore, no matter how many times you ask!

Oh come on Paul. Give the dog a bone.

[LabradoRacer 2]

Ouch!

Oh come on Paul. Give the dog a bone.

Oh no, Paul, don't listen to Graham. Neither do I want a bone nor do I want a boner from you.

[Autumnpuma 0]

Graham, I appreciate your research into this, and yet I feel oddly threatened by the size of your cranium. That, and you look like a puppet.

[Grabthaw the Hammerslayer 4]

Humour 'comes from testosterone'

Men are naturally more comedic than women because of the male hormone testosterone, an expert claims.

An expert who rides a unicycle? hmmmm!

I dunno, whilst its funny, I think the basis for this "expert's" research is a bit thin! It could be that men are more opposed to unicyclists! Maybe if he were to ride a tandem he would get a different result? Is this down to the number of wheels? The riding stance? Or is it just that he is a beardie weirdie!

[Max Mosley 2]

Yup I agree Meanie, I can't see that this proves anything in itself, tbh. A lot of the ideas are probably from other research, though they might just be made up! This "sexual" competition that he talks about, where people try to put down other people of the same sex, probably exists in both sexes. Women obviously wouldn't feel the need to compete with heterosexual men for the attention of other men, so of course they won't be "competitive"! That seems a huge flaw in his reasoning here. Women can be very competitive with each other of course. Some more funny research confirms what chauvinist pigs like me always thought - they get bitchier on a monthly cycle! Whether their catty comments are also funny is a matter of debate I suppose!

Graham, I appreciate your research into this, and yet I feel oddly threatened by the size of your cranium. That, and you look like a puppet.

Yes. Or just a total muppet! Welcome back btw - long time no see.

[pumpdoc 2]

Yes. Or just a total muppet! Welcome back btw - long time no see.

I'll go with muppet