The traits of autism spectrum disorder in the general population influence humor appreciation: Using the autism-spectrum quotient and HSPS-J19

Previous studies show differences in humor appreciation between individuals with autism spectrum disorder and typically developing individuals; however, the relationship between humor appreciation and ASD traits has not been fully examined. This study tried to clarify the effect of ASD traits on humor appreciation. One hundred and two typically developing undergraduates were asked to answer 24 items measuring humor appreciation in response to joke stimuli and to complete the Japanese version of the Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ-J), which measures the ASD traits of social communication, attention, and imagination, and the Japanese version of the 19-item Highly Sensitive Person Scale (HSPS-J19), which measures the trait of sensory sensitivity. Stepwise multiple linear regression analysis revealed that social skills (AQ-J) and ease of excitation (a subscale of the HSPS-J19) were unique predictors of humor appreciation, with a significant coefficient of determination. These findings suggest that poor social skills and ease of excitation influence the cognitive processes underlying humor appreciation. Ease of excitation was found to be specifically associated with recognizing incongruity, whereas social skills were found to be associated with the elaboration of the stimulus. This study contributes to our understanding of the relationship between sensory sensitivity and social communication in individuals with ASD.