TY - JOUR
T1 - #funnypoliticians
T2 - How Do Political Figures Use Humor on Twitter?
AU - Mendiburo-Seguel, Andrés
AU - Alenda, Stéphanie
AU - Ford, Thomas E.
AU - Olah, Andrew R.
AU - Navia, Patricio D.
AU - Argüello-Gutiérrez, Catalina
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
Copyright © 2022 Mendiburo-Seguel, Alenda, Ford, Olah, Navia and Argüello-Gutiérrez.
PY - 2022/4/1
Y1 - 2022/4/1
N2 - Social media has increased its popularity among politicians. If they wish to succeed in the political arena, politicians need to present themselves to citizens as attractive individuals through these platforms. This study examined how politicians present themselves using humor on Twitter. We analyzed tweets (n = 6,443) from 27 politicians to determine their use of different types of humor and its relationship with age, gender, or political position. We also present changes in humor use in relation to the publication of a political survey in which politicians who were part of this study were evaluated. Results showed politicians' use of humor is relatively low in frequency and primarily aggressive. Politicians who are male, younger, and in the opposition tend to use more aggressive humor. We discuss the results considering the role of aggressive humor in political messages. Based on the analyses of tweets and the publication of the survey, we propose as a hypothesis for future studies that politicians' use of humor on Twitter could be affected by the publication of these kinds of surveys.
AB - Social media has increased its popularity among politicians. If they wish to succeed in the political arena, politicians need to present themselves to citizens as attractive individuals through these platforms. This study examined how politicians present themselves using humor on Twitter. We analyzed tweets (n = 6,443) from 27 politicians to determine their use of different types of humor and its relationship with age, gender, or political position. We also present changes in humor use in relation to the publication of a political survey in which politicians who were part of this study were evaluated. Results showed politicians' use of humor is relatively low in frequency and primarily aggressive. Politicians who are male, younger, and in the opposition tend to use more aggressive humor. We discuss the results considering the role of aggressive humor in political messages. Based on the analyses of tweets and the publication of the survey, we propose as a hypothesis for future studies that politicians' use of humor on Twitter could be affected by the publication of these kinds of surveys.
KW - evaluation of politicians
KW - favorability toward politicians
KW - political evaluation
KW - politicians' humor
KW - social networks
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85128463883&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3389/fsoc.2022.788742
DO - 10.3389/fsoc.2022.788742
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85128463883
SN - 2297-7775
VL - 7
JO - Frontiers in Sociology
JF - Frontiers in Sociology
M1 - 788742
ER -