Richmond Humor Assessment Instrument (RHAI)

Abstract

The Richmond Humor Assessment Instrument (RHAI) is a 16-item, self-report psychometric scale designed to measure an individual’s perceived use and effectiveness of humor as a communication trait. Developed primarily by Richmond and colleagues in 2001, the instrument assesses the degree to which an individual naturally employs humor in interpersonal interactions and classroom settings. The scale utilizes a 5-point Likert format, yielding a composite score ranging from 16 to 80, which indicates the overall level of humor communication orientation.

The RHAI focuses on self-perception of humorous ability and the frequency with which humor is integrated into daily communication, serving as a valuable tool for research in communication studies and educational psychology.

Keywords

Humor assessment, communication trait, perceived humor ability, classroom communication, interpersonal humor, RHAI, psychometrics, communication orientation.

Authors

Virginia P. Richmond, James S. Wrench, Joann Gorham, James C. McCroskey.

[quads id=5]

Purpose

The primary purpose of the RHAI is to quantify an individual’s self-perception regarding their ability to use humor effectively in various communicative contexts. It aims to identify individuals who view humor as a central, consistent component of their communication style. By measuring this orientation, researchers can better understand how differences in humor usage correlate with communication outcomes.

The instrument is frequently employed in communication research, particularly within educational settings, to study the relationship between a communicator’s use of humor and factors such as student affect, learning retention, and the overall classroom climate. It provides a standardized metric for assessing individual differences in this specific communicative trait.

Construct

The RHAI measures the construct of Humor Communication Orientation, which is defined as the stable, self-perceived trait of an individual to be capable of, and inclined toward, using humor in communication. This construct goes beyond simple humor appreciation; it assesses the behavioral manifestation of humor and the perceived success of that behavior.

The items target the individual’s self-assessment of their natural ability to be funny, their capacity to relate amusing ideas successfully, and their regular integration of humor into routine interpersonal interactions. The scale is designed to capture a broad, unidimensional measure of perceived humor competence and frequency in social use.

Validity

The validity of the RHAI is typically supported through its alignment with established communication theories. The instrument exhibits strong face validity, as the items clearly and directly inquire about the respondent’s use of humor and their perceived effectiveness in generating laughter or attention from others. Construct validity has been demonstrated through empirical studies showing expected correlations with related communication traits.

For instance, high RHAI scores are usually positively correlated with measures of communication competence and teacher immediacy, and negatively correlated with constructs like communication apprehension or avoidance. Furthermore, research has established predictive validity by linking higher RHAI scores to improved affective learning outcomes and enhanced student-teacher rapport in academic environments.

Reliability

The RHAI is regarded as a reliable measure of humor communication orientation based on its high degree of internal consistency. Reliability is typically established using internal consistency measures, such as Cronbach’s Alpha. Studies utilizing the RHAI, particularly those conducted within collegiate and educational research contexts, consistently report robust Alpha coefficients, generally falling in the range of .85 to .92.

This strong internal consistency confirms that the 16 items function cohesively, measuring the same underlying psychological construct of humor communication orientation without significant internal divergence.

Factor Analysis

The scoring procedure for the RHAI, which involves summing all recoded and non-recoded item scores to produce a single composite RHAI score, indicates that the instrument is fundamentally structured as a unidimensional scale. Factor analysis procedures applied during the scale’s development would support this structure, demonstrating that the 16 items load onto a single dominant factor representing the overall trait of Humor Communication Orientation.

The inclusion of eight negatively worded items, which require reverse-scoring, is a methodological technique used to control for acquiescence bias, but these items still contribute to the primary dimension being measured, confirming the scale’s unidimensional nature.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-report questionnaire measuring a communication trait.

Format: 16 items rated on a 5-point Likert-type agreement scale (1=Strongly Disagree to 5=Strongly Agree).

Language Available: Primarily English.

Population Group: General adult population, frequently applied to university students, educators, and communicators.

Age Group: Adolescents (16+) and Adults.

Population Details: Suitable for assessing humor communication traits in individuals across various professional and social contexts, with a strong history of use in studies involving communication behaviors in academic settings.

Test Methodology: Respondents indicate their level of agreement with statements regarding their humor usage and effectiveness. Eight items are negatively worded and must be reverse-scored before summation to calculate the final composite score, which ranges from 16 to 80.

Keywords

Humor communication, self-perception, Likert scale, communication competence, RHAI scoring, psychometric instrument.

[quads id=5]

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Not publicly provided in source materials.

Affiliation Email addresses: Contact information typically maintained by the corresponding author at the time of publication.

Correspondence Address: Correspondence is generally directed through the academic department of the corresponding author, such as the Communication Studies departments associated with the authors.

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The Richmond Humor Assessment Instrument (RHAI) was developed and first published around 2001. The instrument, like many scales developed by this research group, is often made available for academic research and non-commercial educational purposes without a specific fee. Researchers are typically expected to cite the original source material appropriately.

The original instrument description and accessibility information can be found at: http://www.jamescmccroskey.com/measures/humor.htm

Reference’s

• Richmond, V. P., Wrench, J. S., & Gorham, J. (2001). Communication, affect, and learning in the classroom. Acton, MA: Tapestry Press.
• Wrench, J. S., & McCroskey, J. C. (2001). A temperamental understanding of humor communication and exhilaratability. Communication Quarterly, 49, 170-183.

[quads id=5]

Items of the Richmond Humor Assessment Instrument (RHAI)

IMPORTANT: The following scale items must be preserved in their original language and must not be changed in any way.

The RHAI consists of 16 statements rated on a 5-point scale (5 = Strongly Agree; 1 = Strongly Disagree). Items requiring recoding for scoring are items 2, 6, 8, 9, 11, 12, 14, and 16.

1. I regularly communicate with others by joking with them.
2. People usually laugh when I make a humorous remark.
3. I am not funny or humorous.
4. I can be amusing or humorous without having to tell a joke.
5. Being humorous is a natural communication orientation for me.
6. I cannot relate an amusing idea well.
7. My friends would say that I am a humorous or funny person.
8. People don’t seem to pay close attention when I am being funny.
9. Even funny ideas and stories seem dull when I tell them.
10. I can easily relate funny or humorous ideas to the class.
11. I would say that I am not a humorous person.
12. I cannot be funny, even when asked to do so.
13. I relate amusing stories, jokes, and funny things very well to others.
14. Of all the people I know, I am one of the “least” amusing or funny persons.
15. I use humor to communicate in a variety of situations.
16. On a regular basis, I do not communicate with others by being humorous or entertaining.

Note on Scoring: Items 2, 6, 8, 9, 11, 12, 14, and 16 must be recoded (5=1, 4=2, 3=3, 2=4, 1=5). All 16 scores are summed to obtain a composite score between 16 and 80. Scores of 60 and above indicate high degrees of humor usage; scores of 30 and below indicate low humor usage; and scores between 30 and 60 indicate moderate degrees of humor usage.