According to German psychologist Fritz Strack and colleagues (1988), people find cartoons funnier while holding a pen with their teeth using a smiling muscle than while holding it with their lips (using muscles incompatible with smiling). For this assignment, you are to replicate Fritz et al. (1988) experiment by taking the following steps:

 

1)        Choose 1 cartoon from the newspaper that you find particularly funny. You might want to ask some neutral third party if they find this cartoon funny as well (humor is subjective).

 

2)        Assemble 2 groups of 5 people each (10 people total). Separate these two groups so neither group can hear the directions that you give each one.

 

3)        The directions for the first group will be "You are to rate the following cartoon (do not show them this cartoon until you go through the directions first) on how humorous you find it. A "1" means that you do not find this cartoon funny at all; a "5" means you find the cartoon very funny. While you read this cartoon, you need to put this pen in your mouth and hold it with your lips only. Your teeth may not touch the pen. With the pen in your lips, you may read the cartoon. After you have read the cartoon, you may take the pen out of your mouth and use it to write down your rating on this slip of paper."

 

4)        The directions for the second groups will be "You are to rate the following cartoon (do not show them this cartoon until you go through the directions first) on how humorous you find it. A "1" means that you do not find this cartoon funny at all; a "5" means you find the cartoon very funny. While you read this cartoon, you need to put this pen in your mouth and hold it with your teeth only. Your lips may not touch the pen. With the pen in between your teeth, you may read the cartoon. After you have read the cartoon, you may take the pen out of your mouth and use it write down your rating on this slip of paper."