No Laughing Matter: Exploring the Effects of Scientists’ Humor Use on Twitter and the Moderating Role of Superiority

This study explores the effects of two humor styles—pure humor and satire—on audiences’ Twitter engagement intentions as well as their attitudes toward mRNA Covid-19 vaccines. In an online between-subjects experiment ( N = 484), these styles were embedded within a scientist’s tweet about the vaccines. The results showed that, compared to a no humor tweet, both pure humor and satire increased audience’s expectancy violation, subsequently decreasing both outcomes. Superiority as an individual trait also moderated the relationship between humor styles and both expectancy violation and Twitter engagement. These findings broaden our understanding of different humor styles in science communication on Twitter.