The Value and Risks of Humor

06/10/2003

"When people care for you they can straighten out your soul." - Langston Hughes

THE VALUE AND RISKS OF HUMOR

Humor eases tension and speeds learning at work, says Peter Desberg, a professor at California State University, Dominguez Hills, in the Wall Street Journal (September 16, 1986). According to Desberg. . .

"Nurses who can joke about death are better at coping with the stress of dying patients than nurses who can't appreciate such humor. But a businessman who tells great jokes won't get more information across unless the humor is related to his point. Joking in the workplace usually backfires if it's hostile or in poor taste. Puns often damage communication because they're aimed at proving the punster's cleverness and get in the way of making a point."

To see how humor can be put to good use in the early childhood setting, check out the Beginnings Workshop on "Humor" at
https://secure.ccie.com/catalog/cciecatalog.php?cPath=23.

For more information about Exchange's magazine, books, and other products pertaining to ECE, go to www.ccie.com.