Beukes, R. B. I.Esterhuyse, K. G. F.Pienaar, Anrie2015-11-122015-11-122004-112004-112004-11http://hdl.handle.net/11660/1627English: The purpose of this investigation was to determine whether a relationship exists between cognitive flexibility and a sense of humour. By means of a literature study it was shown that a theoretical link does, indeed, exist between the abovementioned two constructs. Predictive variables such as sex and cultural group were discussed in terms of the extent to which they influence a sense of humour and cognitive flexibility. The research population consists of 392 adolescents, 205 African language speakers, and 187 Afrikaans speakers. Thorson and Powell's (1993a) Multidimensional Sense of Humour Scale (MSHS), was used to measure humour, while cognitive flexibility was measured using the Cognitive Flexibility Scale (CBS) of Martin and Rubin (1995). The results found that Afrikaans speaking adolescents demonstrating high levels of cognitive flexibility also present with high levels of humour. Conversely, African language speaking adolescents with high levels of cognitive flexibility demonstrated a low level of humour. These differences can be explained as follows. The validity of the questionnaires for African language speakers can be questioned, seeing as these learners responded in a second language. The nature of certain questions was relatively abstract, and furthermore bound to a future perspective, that may be difficult to align within a collectivistic culture. The CBS questionnaire is standardised for Western cultures and this may have influenced the results. Assuming that the results are reliable, a possible explanation may be found in the properties distinguishing individualistic and collectivistic cultures. If social cognitive flexibility in an Africa culture displays a low value dimension in terms of thought patterns, and enjoys low priority in terms of social systems, then this phenomena can be partly understood on this basis.Afrikaans; Die doel van die ondersoek was om te bepaal of daar 'n verband bestaan tussen kognitiewe buigsaamheid en humorsin. By wyse van literatuurstudie is aangetoon dat daar wel 'n teoretiese verband tussen die bogenoemde twee konsepte bestaan. Moderatorveranderlikes soos geslag en kultuurgroep is ook bespreek om vas te stel in hoeverre hulle humorsin en kognitiewe buigsaamheid beïnvloed. Die ondersoekgroep het bestaan uit 392 adolessente naamlik 205 Afrikataalsprekendes en 187 Afrkaanssprekendes. Vir die meting van humor is Thorson en Powell (1993a) se Multidimensionele Humorsinskaal (MSHS) gebruik en vir die kognitiewe buigsaamheidsmeting is die Kognitiewe Buigsaamheid Skaal (KBS) van Martin en Rubin (1995) gebruik. Die resultate dui aan dat Afrikaans-sprekende adolessente wat hoë vlakke van kognitiewe buigsaamheid toon, ook hoë vlakke van humor openbaar het. Daarenteen het die Afrikataal-sprekende adolessente wat hoë vlakke van kognitiewe buigsaamheid getoon het 'n lae vlak van humor geopenbaar. Verklarings vir hierdie teenstrydigheid kan die volgende wees: Die geldigheid van die vraelyste vir die Afrikataal- sprekendes kan bevraagteken word, aangesien hierdie leerders dit in hul tweede taal moes invul. Die aard van sekere vrae is ook op relatief abstrakte vlak, sowel as gebonde aan 'n toekomstyd-perspektief, wat moontlik moeilik versoenbaar is met 'n kollektivistiese kultuur. Die KBS-vraelys is vir 'n Westerse kultuur gestandaardiseer, wat ook die resultate kon beïnvloed het. Indien aanvaar word dat die resultate wel betroubaar is, kan die individualistiese en kollektivistiese eienskappe wat kulture van mekaar onderskei 'n moontlike verklaring wees. Indien sosiale kognitiewe buigsaamheid in 'n Afrika-kultuur 'n lae waarde-dimensie toon betreffende hul denkstyl, en lae prioritisering geniet in terme van hul sosiale sisteem, kan hierdie fenomeen gedeeltelik op grond hiervan verklaar word.afDissertation (M.Sc. (Clinical Psychology))--University of the Free State, 2004Adjustment (Psychology)Adolescent psychologyWit and humor -- Psychological aspectsCollectivistic cultureIndividualistic cultureSocial cognitive flexibilityThought patternsSense of humourCognitive flexibilityDissertationUniversity of the Free State