The relationship between middle school student's humor production ability and intelligence measured through the ASIS

In this study the relationship between humor production ability and intelligence was investigated. Participants included 217 sixth and seventh grade students who were attending middle school in the city of Eskişehir in Turkey. Of the total sample, 51 were gifted and 166 were average students. Intelligence was assessed using the Anadolu Sak Intelligence Scale (ASIS). Humor production ability was measured using the Humor Ability Assessment Form. It was composed of 10 items. Participants were asked to write dialogues that they thought funny. Experts who worked in the field of cartoon or humor evaluated student responses. Results showed that there were significant differences in humor production ability by intelligence. The relationship between intelligence and humor production ability was analyzed using the Pearson correlation analysis. A positive and significant relationship was found between humor ability and general intelligence, crystallized intelligence, memory capacity and fluid intelligence (r_GIQ= .819; r_SPE= .756; r_BKE= .730; r_GPE= .733, p< .01). Multiple linear regression analysis was performed to determine the best predictor of humor from general intelligence and its components. It was found that humor production ability for each variable was significant (p <0.001). Crystallized intelligence was found the best predictor followed by memory capacity and fluid intelligence; SPE (β = 0,377), BKE (β= 0,263) and GPE (β= 0,26). Lastly, a threshold on general intelligence for humor production ability was examined. No threshold value was found. As a result, there is a high and linear relationship between general intelligence and ability to produce humor.