Appendix
Tests to Take Before and After Completing the Humor Skills Training Program
[These scales may not be reprinted elsewhere without the written permission of Paul McGhee. You may reproduce as many copies as you need for your own personal use.]
Playful/Serious Attitude Scale
For the first two tests, use the 7-point scale provided just below each question to answer that question. In the space to the left of each item, indicate the extent to which you agree with the statement by writing a 1, 2, 3, etc. in that space. Avoid the tendency to give what you consider a "good" answer. Be honest with yourself.
____ 1. I am in a serious frame of mind most of the time.
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____ 2. I am a very spontaneous person.
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____ 3. I think it's important to always adopt a serious demeanor at work.
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____ 4. I have a lot of fun in my life.
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____ 5. I prefer friends who are generally pretty serious.
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____ 6. I prefer spending time with people who are good at what they do, but know how to have fun and enjoy life.
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____ 7. I get annoyed by people who are playful at work.
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____ 8. I often adopt a playful attitude in everyday life.
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____ Total PSA score (add items 1-8)
Positive/Negative Mood Scale
____ 1. I would describe my current outlook on life as
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____ 2. These days, my typical mood is
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____ 3. These days, I am generally
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____ 4. I have a lot of joy in my life.
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____ 5. I often get very frustrated on my job.
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____ 6. I am often depressed.
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____ 7. I am often anxious.
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____ 8. I am often angry.
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____ Total PNM score (add items 1-8)
Sense of Humor Scale
Use the 7-point scale provided here to answer the rest of the items below. Again, avoid the tendency to give what you consider a "good" answer. Be honest with yourself. (Please note that joke- and story-telling has been omitted from this scale.)
Enjoyment of Humor
____ 1. I generally look for sit coms or other funny programs to watch on TV.
____ 2. When I pick up magazines, I generally look at the cartoons in them first.
____ 3. When I go to the movies, my preference is generally to see a good comedy.
____ 4. It is important for me to have a lot of humor in my life.
____ Total EH score (add items 1-4)
Laughter
____ 5. I have a good belly laugh many times each day.
____ 6. I have a heartier, more robust laugh than most people.
____ 7. I feel comfortable laughing, even when others aren't.
____ 8. One or both of my parents laughed a lot when I was growing up.
____ Total L score (add items 5-8)
Verbal Humor
____ 9. I often tell jokes.
____ 10. I often tell funny stories.
____ 11. I often create my own spontaneous puns.
____ 12. I often make other spontaneous witty remarks (other than 9-11).
____ Total VH score (add items 9-12)
Finding Humor in Everyday Life
____ 13. I often find humor in things that happen at work.
____ 14. I often find humor in things that happen at home.
____ 15. I often find humor in things that happen outside of work & family settings.
____ 16. I often share with others the funny incidents I observe, or that happen to me.
____ Total FHEL score (add items 13-16)
Laughing at Yourself
____ 17. I have no trouble poking fun at my physical imperfections.
____ 18. I often find humor in my own embarrassing incidents or personal blunders.
____ 19. I often share with others the humor in my blunders/embarrassing incidents.
____ 20. I find it easy to laugh when I am the butt of the joke.
____ Total LY score (add items 17-20)
Humor Under Stress
____ 21. My sense of humor rarely abandons me under stress.
____ 22. I often use my sense of humor to control the effect of stress on my mood.
____ 23. I often use humor at work to reduce stress and stay effective on the job.
____ 24. My sense of humor is my most effective tool in coping with life stress.
____ Total HUS score (add items 21-24)
____ Total Sense of Humor score (add items 1-24)
This is your Humor Quotient. Lowest possible score = 24. Highest = 168. Your goal should be to score somewhere between 140-168. For the Playful/Serious Attitude and Positive/Negative Mood Scales, your goal should be to raise your score up to 50 or higher.
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