The purpose of this study was to determine if teachers' job satisfaction was greater when working for principals with higher perceived use of humor. The study also examined the effects of principals' use of humor on perceived leadership effectiveness and level of personal relationship.
The researcher used a 36-question survey instrument to collect data. A population of 796 educators in a public school system in Northeast Tennessee was given an opportunity to participate in this research. There were 450 completed surveys (56%) returned.
There were 4 major findings from this study. Teachers reported that it was appropriate for principals to use humor in a school setting to a significant level (p < 0.001). Data from the surveys also indicated that teachers had significantly higher reported job satisfaction (p < 0.001) when working for principals who used humor when compared to principals who did not use humor regularly. The research also showed that teachers had significantly higher reported personal relationships (p < 0.001) with principals who use humor regularly. In addition, teachers in this study rated leadership effectiveness significantly higher ( p < 0.001) for principals who regularly used humor when compared to those who did not.
","abstract_html":"<p>The purpose of this study was to determine if teachers' job satisfaction was greater when working for principals with higher perceived use of humor. The study also examined the effects of principals' use of humor on perceived leadership effectiveness and level of personal relationship.</p><p>The researcher used a 36-question survey instrument to collect data. A population of 796 educators in a public school system in Northeast Tennessee was given an opportunity to participate in this research. There were 450 completed surveys (56%) returned.</p><p>There were 4 major findings from this study. Teachers reported that it was appropriate for principals to use humor in a school setting to a significant level (p < 0.001). Data from the surveys also indicated that teachers had significantly higher reported job satisfaction (p < 0.001) when working for principals who used humor when compared to principals who did not use humor regularly. The research also showed that teachers had significantly higher reported personal relationships (p < 0.001) with principals who use humor regularly. In addition, teachers in this study rated leadership effectiveness significantly higher ( p < 0.001) for principals who regularly used humor when compared to those who did not.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Fields, Jonathon P"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"EdD (Doctor of Education)","degree_level":"Dissertation - unrestricted","degree_discipline":"Educational Leadership","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2011,"date_issued":"2011-05-07T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2011-05-07T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:20:06Z","subjects":["humor","principal","job satisfaction","teacher","Education","Educational Administration and Supervision","Elementary and Middle and Secondary Education Administration"],"languages":[],"rights":["Copyright by the authors."],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/1263","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Fields, Jonathon P"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["1990-01-01T08:00:00Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2011-05-07T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Educational Leadership"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Dissertation - unrestricted"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["EdD (Doctor of Education)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["humor","principal","job satisfaction","teacher","Education","Educational Administration and Supervision","Elementary and Middle and Secondary Education Administration"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["Copyright by the authors."]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://dc.etsu.edu/context/etd/article/2454/viewcontent/FieldsJ040911f.pdf","https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/1263"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["The purpose of this study was to determine if teachers' job satisfaction was greater when working for principals with higher perceived use of humor. The study also examined the effects of principals' use of humor on perceived leadership effectiveness and level of personal relationship.
The researcher used a 36-question survey instrument to collect data. A population of 796 educators in a public school system in Northeast Tennessee was given an opportunity to participate in this research. There were 450 completed surveys (56%) returned.
There were 4 major findings from this study. Teachers reported that it was appropriate for principals to use humor in a school setting to a significant level (p < 0.001). Data from the surveys also indicated that teachers had significantly higher reported job satisfaction (p < 0.001) when working for principals who used humor when compared to principals who did not use humor regularly. The research also showed that teachers had significantly higher reported personal relationships (p < 0.001) with principals who use humor regularly. In addition, teachers in this study rated leadership effectiveness significantly higher ( p < 0.001) for principals who regularly used humor when compared to those who did not.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Perceptions of Teachers: Effects of Principals Uses of Humor on Teacher Job Satisfaction."]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:creator":["Fields, Jonathon P"],"dc:date.available":["1990-01-01T08:00:00Z"],"dc:date.issued":["2011-05-07T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["The purpose of this study was to determine if teachers' job satisfaction was greater when working for principals with higher perceived use of humor. The study also examined the effects of principals' use of humor on perceived leadership effectiveness and level of personal relationship.
The researcher used a 36-question survey instrument to collect data. A population of 796 educators in a public school system in Northeast Tennessee was given an opportunity to participate in this research. There were 450 completed surveys (56%) returned.
There were 4 major findings from this study. Teachers reported that it was appropriate for principals to use humor in a school setting to a significant level (p < 0.001). Data from the surveys also indicated that teachers had significantly higher reported job satisfaction (p < 0.001) when working for principals who used humor when compared to principals who did not use humor regularly. The research also showed that teachers had significantly higher reported personal relationships (p < 0.001) with principals who use humor regularly. In addition, teachers in this study rated leadership effectiveness significantly higher ( p < 0.001) for principals who regularly used humor when compared to those who did not.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://dc.etsu.edu/context/etd/article/2454/viewcontent/FieldsJ040911f.pdf","https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/1263"],"dc:rights":["Copyright by the authors."],"dc:subject":["humor","principal","job satisfaction","teacher","Education","Educational Administration and Supervision","Elementary and Middle and Secondary Education Administration"],"dc:title":["Perceptions of Teachers: Effects of Principals Uses of Humor on Teacher Job Satisfaction."],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Educational Leadership"],"thesis:degree_level":["Dissertation - unrestricted"],"thesis:degree_name":["EdD (Doctor of Education)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:20:06Z"}