Nuns Making Fun: An Exploration of Humor among Women Religious

Abstract

This paper discusses the role and use of humor in the lives of nuns and consecrated women. A qualitative study consisting of interviews with nuns and consecrated women was conducted to produce data about the way in which they use humor. Humor among these women was examined through the framework of identity and social identity theories, as well as front and back stage presentation, and theories of humor as a method of emotion management for coping with stress. Results show that Catholic and women religious social identities influence the women’s perspective of humor as a positive force and a method of creating social cohesion, as well as their commitment to avoiding harmful humor, more strongly than role identities. Person identities are more important than social ones in determining when, and what types of, humor could be used. The nuns’ use of humor also reveals that their social identity as nuns is not necessarily their primary and most salient identity, and women religious often identify strongly with those in their age group. In backstage settings humor is universally accepted, and whether it is allowed on the front stage is determined by community social identity as well as person identity. Front stage faux pas are fair game for back stage mockery. I also found that the nuns enjoy and employ all categories of humor defined by Zijderfeld (1983). Additionally, while humor is used to cope with stress, its effectiveness in doing so is mediated by the valence of negative emotions felt.