A little humor goes a long way, especially when you’re bargaining. According to reserach from O’Quin & Aronoff (1981), humor can be used as an effective means of social influence. In their study researchers had 252 college students take part in an bargaining experiment in which they were tasked to buy a piece of art for a good deal. Meanwhile a confederate seated at the opposite end of the table countered the bid, trying to get a higher price for the painting. After several minutes of negotiating, the confederate gave a final bid and then injected a humorous statement or didn’t.

Results of the study showed that those given the humorous statement, made a greater compromise in their purchase price compared to those not given the funny statement. And although participants gave humorous sellers more money, it didn’t translate to a greater liking of that seller. It did, however, make the task more enjoyable and perhaps served as a reminder that the task was more lighthearted than they originally thought. In any case, these findings suggest that the next time you’re trying to get what you want, a little humor might help.

Further Reading:

O’Quin, K., & Aronoff. (1981). Humor as a technique of social influence. Social Psychology Quarterly, 44, 349-357.