Managing Stigma Through Laughter: Disability Stigma & Humor as a Stigma Management Communication Strategy

ABSTRACT Stigma can negatively impact those who are stigmatized and is created by and managed through communication. This study examines a specific stigmatized community, those with hearing loss, and a specific communication strategy, humor, that might be used to manage stigma. The results indicate that humor can be used to manage both the internal and interpersonal effects of humor. Additionally, participants reported using humor as a strategy to challenge or defend against stigma. Integrating research from communication, disability studies, and sociology, this interdisciplinary study extends work on stigma management communication as well as disability humor.