The Influence of Commercial Humor on Program Enjoyment and Evaluation

The theory of excitation transfer has been used to explain why residual stimulation from a program can heighten response to commercials aired within the program. This research examines the reverse phenomenon with commercial humor levels affecting the program. Higher humor levels in otherwise identical commercials were shown to enhance viewer enjoyment of humorous television programs in a 2 × 2 × 2 experimental design. Programs were rated on a composite measure labeled “program entertainment value.”