Abstract
First impressions matter when it comes to building relationships. Humor is a common way to “break the ice,” but can also cause miscommunication or backfire during an interaction. Humorous communication can produce both positive and negative relational outcomes, depending on the situation. Understanding humor is imperative in making claims for best practices in introductory contexts. Specifically, the role humor plays while making first impressions is widely underdeveloped. This study utilized a post-test only comparison group true experimental design to test the effect of humor on communication competence and relational initiation. A sample of college students (N = 104) were randomly assigned to either a successful humor condition (n = 55) or a failed humor condition (n = 49), and reported impressions of their respective hypothetical narratives. Results suggest an individual who is successful at communicating humor is perceived to be a more competent communicator and more likely to have a relationship initiated by a passerby than an individual who fails to communicate humor.