People who rely heavily on dark humor in everyday life may also show higher levels of problematic personality traits, according to new psychological research. A study published in Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts examined how different humor styles align with underlying patterns of thinking and behavior.
Researchers found that darker comic styles, including sarcasm, cynicism, irony and satire, were consistently associated with more maladaptive personality features. In contrast, lighter forms of humor, such as playful jokes and benevolent teasing, were generally linked to fewer traits associated with personality disorders.
How psychologists classify humor styles
Humor is more than entertainment; it can play an important role in emotional coping, social bonding and self-expression. Psychologists increasingly classify humor into distinct styles, ranging from friendly and inclusive to hostile and distancing, to better understand its psychological impact.
In the study, lead author Alberto Dionigi and colleagues focused on eight comic styles. Lighter styles included fun, benevolent humor, nonsense and wit, while darker styles included irony, satire, sarcasm and cynicism. Each was measured through self-reported statements about how participants typically joked and interacted with others.
Study design and participant profile
The researchers surveyed 599 Italian adults with an average age of approximately 40 using online questionnaires. Participants came from the general population rather than clinical settings, allowing the researchers to examine personality traits along a spectrum rather than focusing specifically on diagnosed disorders.
Participants first completed the Comic Style Markers questionnaire, rating how frequently they used each of the eight humor styles. They then completed the Personality Belief Questionnaire-Short Form, which measures dysfunctional beliefs associated with ten personality disorder traits, including antisocial, narcissistic, borderline, avoidant and obsessive-compulsive patterns.
Dark humor and maladaptive traits
The analysis showed that darker comic styles were closely associated with more problematic personality tendencies, even after accounting for age and sex. Sarcasm and cynicism showed the strongest links with traits including passive-aggressive, antisocial, narcissistic, histrionic and borderline features.
For cynical humor, personality traits explained up to 23 percent of its variability, indicating a moderate relationship between certain tendencies and frequent use of this humor style. The authors suggest that people with antagonistic or impulsive traits may use sarcasm and cynicism as socially acceptable ways of expressing hostility or dominance.
Irony and satire were also positively associated with maladaptive traits, although the patterns were somewhat weaker. Satire was linked to narcissistic and obsessive-compulsive tendencies, possibly reflecting the use of moral criticism to assert superiority or reinforce rigid standards.
Lighter humor and social connection
In contrast, lighter humor styles showed weaker or negative relationships with maladaptive personality features. Fun and benevolent humor were mildly associated with fewer dysfunctional traits and were more often connected with playfulness and social affiliation.
Avoidant traits, involving fear of rejection and social withdrawal, were negatively associated with fun, benevolent humor, nonsense and wit. People who strongly fear criticism may have fewer opportunities or less inclination to engage in playful joking with others.
Some associations between lighter humor and problematic traits still emerged. Histrionic traits, characterized by attention-seeking and emotional intensity, strongly predicted the use of fun, while wit was positively associated with narcissistic traits, suggesting that clever humor can also serve self-enhancing purposes.
Gender differences and nuance
The study also identified gender differences in humor use, with men reporting greater use of darker comic styles than women. This aligns with earlier research suggesting that men more frequently use aggressive or hostile humor in social situations.
However, the authors caution against drawing overly simple conclusions about any individual humor style. Even dark humor can sometimes be adaptive, such as when satire challenges unjust behavior or irony helps people create emotional distance from painful experiences.
Limits, context and future research
Because the study was cross-sectional, it cannot determine whether personality traits influence humor style or whether habitual humor patterns gradually shape personality. The self-reported measures also depend on participants’ own perceptions, which may be biased or incomplete.
The sample was largely female and consisted of Italian adults, potentially limiting how broadly the findings apply to other cultures or clinical populations. The authors argue that future research should include participants from different countries, longitudinal studies and external assessments from peers or clinicians.
For mental health professionals, the findings suggest that paying attention to how clients use humor may provide additional clues about interpersonal patterns and emotional defenses. For the general public, the research highlights the value of considering not simply whether we are funny, but what type of humor we use, with whom and to what effect.
