Humor as an ice breaker in marital tension: A family communication perspective

Abstract

Humor is a communicative tool employed by a person to amuse others. Numerous research have been conducted on how humor is used in deflating tension in romantic relationships, but little to no research has been done on the study in the Ghanaian context. Using relief theory of humor, the researcher studied 20 married couples (10 males and 10 females) within and around the Univesity of Cape Coast: 10 males and 10 females respectively were interviewed using a semi-structured interview guide. Based on the data analyzed, the researcher identified that humor function aids in the expression of a message that will otherwise be difficult to convey. This suggestion affirms that despite the presence of tension in marriage, humor always helps in calming nerves by reducing the tension.