Humor Production Promotes Creativity: The Mediating Role of Self-Efficacy and the Moderating Role of Fear of Authority.

We conducted four empirical studies to investigate how, why, and when humor production impacts people's creativity. Study 1 ( = 175), using the cartoon humor production paradigm, found that humor production was positively associated with creativity. Study 2 ( = 243), using a new sample, found that self-efficacy mediated the relationship between humor production and creativity. Study 3 ( = 225), via a manipulation-of-mediation-as-a-moderator (MMM) design, manipulating participants' self-efficacy, replicated the results of Study 2. Furthermore, Study 4 ( = 433), using a cross-lagged design and three-wave data, extended the theoretical model to the workplace, and further demonstrated that the fear of authority alleviated the indirect effect of humor production on people's creativity. These findings are of theoretical and practical significance for our understanding of humor production and creativity.