Social exclusion mediates the relationship between psychopathy and aggressive humor style in noninstitutionalized young adults

Previous research indicates a positive relation ship between psychopathy and various negative humor styles. The purpose of the present study was to investigate social exclusio n as a possible mediator of the association between psycho pathy and negative humor styles in noninstitutionalized young adults. One hundred and thirty-nine university students participated by responding to questionnaires that assess psycho pathy, the experience of exclusion from friends, and four humor styles (self-enhancing, affiliative, aggressiv e, and self-defeating). There was a significant positive association between psychopathy, social exclusio n, and aggressive styles of humor, and a negat ive association between psychopathy and affiliative styles of humor. Moreover, the results of a mediation analysis indicated that the association between psycho pathy and aggressive humor style is completely explaine d by the experience of social exclusion. These results suggest that high psychopathic participants who are socially excluded use an aggressive humor style more often than low psychopathic individuals. The present study provides further insights into the role played by social environmental factors in the links between psychopathy and associated interperso nal characteristics. 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.