Banter or Barrier: How Motive and Content Shape the Outcomes of Aggressive Humor in the Workplace

Abstract: This research examines the nuanced role of aggressive humor in the workplace, focusing on its antecedents—particularly instigators’ motives—and its organizational consequences. While aggressive humor is traditionally viewed as anti-social, this project challenges binary categorizations of humor by demonstrating that it serves diverse functions, including stress relief and group cohesion. Employing a multi-method approach, the project (1) identifies specific types and motives of aggressive humor and (2) investigates its impact on inclusion, team identification, and engagement within workgroups.

A qualitative study of 128 working adults indicates that aggressive humor serves multiple motives, such as asserting dominance, alleviating collective stress, and facilitating positive social connections. These insights informed an experimental study (N = 608) using a 2 × 2 (content × motive) design. Results suggest that work-related, pro-social humor is associated with significantly higher levels of inclusion and team identification compared to self-interested or non-work-related humor. Collectively, this work suggests that, when used appropriately, aggressive humor can enhance positive work outcomes, contributing to a more refined understanding of humor’s role in fostering inclusive workplace cultures.

Keywords: aggressive humor, workplace humor, social interaction, interpersonal communication