Tools of persuasion: A comparison of satirical and serious treatments of sexual harassment

Satire is often used to send persuasive messages. Humor in general increases engagement with and enjoyment of media, which can make said media more persuasive. However, satire is a subtle type of humor that may be subject to misinterpretation. This study investigates the effects that satirical media have on people’s opinions about sexual harassment. Participants in different conditions were shown satirical clips from popular TV shows which dealt with the topic of sexual harassment or serious clips about the same issue. A control condition with clips that were funny but not persuasive was also included. No significant differences between the three conditions were found