Teaching comprehension of double‐meaning jokes to young children
Multiple joke examples plus a three-step error fix teach five-year-olds to enjoy puns.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Four preschoolers who did not understand puns joined the study.
Trainers used many joke examples and a three-step error fix.
They tracked each child in a multiple-baseline design.
What they found
Every child learned to laugh at the right time and explain the joke.
The skill stayed strong after the sessions ended.
How this fits with other research
Capio et al. (2013) also taught figurative language, but to autistic kids in groups.
Both studies show kids can grasp non-literal talk when you give lots of examples.
Hewett et al. (2024) used the same multiple-exemplar trick for intraverbals in autism.
Their data say: if the first teaching does not work, add more examples and a quick fix.
That matches what ML et al. did here with the joke training.
Why it matters
You can copy the package: show many jokes, prompt the double meaning, correct gently, and fade help.
It takes little time and fits circle-time or play sessions.
Try it when kids look puzzled at idioms or puns in stories.
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Pick three kid jokes with clear double meanings, run five quick trials, prompt and correct until the child can explain why it is funny.
02At a glance
03Original abstract
Various forms of humor are an important aspect of social interactions, even at an early age. Humor comprehension is a repertoire that is said to emerge between the ages of 7 and 11 years, and this is primarily attributed to a child's level of cognitive development. The behavioral literature has suggested that various forms of complex verbal behavior, including the use and comprehension of humor, are learned operants that can be taught using systematic teaching procedures. The current study used multiple exemplar training and a three-step error correction procedure to teach comprehension of double-meaning jokes to 4 children (2 females and 2 males) aged between 5 and 6.5 years old. All participants demonstrated humor comprehension and appreciation, across multiple exemplars, following training, and maintained this at follow-up. Implications for use with clinical populations are discussed.
, 2021 · doi:10.1002/jaba.838