Steneker, Suzanne (2025) Communicating Microplastic Health Risks: Humor as a Tool for Cognitive Engagement. Bachelor thesis, Global Responsibility & Leadership (GRL).
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Abstract
In today’s oversaturated media environment, important messages like public health risks often get lost in the noise. Microplastics represent a growing concern, and their intangibility can make it harder for the issue to resonate with audiences. This study explores humor as a tool to stand out amongst the overload and re-engage people to promote deeper reflection. It is the first study to combine humor and microplastics, offering an empirical investigation into how humor influences cognitive engagement. While past research suggests humor may enhance engagement, empirical evidence remains scattered. The study compares three comic formats: an informative, non-humorous comic (control), a humorous comic using ironic exaggeration (one-sided), and a humorous comic presenting opposing views (two-sided). It examines how these formats effect emotional responses and more thoughtful reflection on the issue of microplastics. It also tests whether prior concern for microplastics predicts engagement, and whether emotions help explain this. An online survey with 205 participants shows that both humorous comics significantly increase engagement, regardless of prior involvement. Only negatively valenced emotions, and especially those with high perceived control like Disgust, explain this effect. These findings suggest amusement and serious reflection can coexist, and that humor, when emotionally targeted and issue-relevant, can support deeper thinking about complex problems like microplastics.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Bachelor) |
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| Name supervisor: | Geiger, J.L. and Maltagliati, I. |
| Date Deposited: | 10 Jun 2025 08:49 |
| Last Modified: | 10 Jun 2025 08:49 |
| URI: | https://campus-fryslan.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/615 |
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