This is especially the case when they feel that their masculinity, as defined by the typical gender norms assigned to men, is being challenged or threatened. The findings suggest that sexist and anti-gay jokes provide self-affirmation to men who possess more precarious manhood beliefs. The types of humour they preferred were tested, and whether the men believed their take on humour would help others form a more accurate impression about them. Participants completed online questionnaires designed to test their social attitudes and personalities, and their prejudice levels and antagonism against gay men and women. To understand how this plays out in the context of sexist and anti-gay jokes, the research team conducted two experiments involving 387 heterosexual men. Disparaging humour is often about enhancing one's own social identity by positively distinguishing one's in-group from a disparaged out-group.
