Dr. Nicholas Kuiper
Professor Emeritus - Clinical Science and Psychopathology
Email: kuiper@uwo.ca
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Bio
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Publications
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Research
Biographical Information
I received my Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Western Ontario in 1975, with a research focus on memory and cognitive processing. My graduate level training in experimental psychopathology was completed at the University of Calgary, during the period from 1975 to 1978. My Master’s research was one of the first studies to document attributional aspects of depression; whereas my Doctoral work pioneered contemporary self-schema approaches to personal information processing and memory.
I have been a professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Western Ontario since 1978. During this time, I have published numerous articles and chapters on depression, self-schemata, psychological well-being, sense of humor, and several other topics of interest. Most of my current research pertains to various facets and implications of sense of humor. In addition, however, I also retain an interest in work that focuses on the lay theories that individuals have about depression, including their perceptions of causes, consequences, and treatment effectiveness.
Over the years I have also held several academic administrative positions at the University of Western Ontario, including being the Director of the Clinical Psychology Graduate Program, the Graduate Chair in the Department of Psychology, and Associate Dean in Graduate Studies.Selected Publications
Kuiper, N.A., Grimshaw, M., Leite, C., & Kirsh, G. (2004). Humor is not always the best medicine: Specific components of sense of humor and psychological well-being. Humor: International Journal of Humor Research (Special issue on Humor and Physical Health), 17, 135-168.
Kuiper, N.A., & M. Borowicz-Sibenik (2005). A good sense of humor doesn’t always help: Agency and communion as moderators of psychological well-being. Personality and Individual Differences, 38, 365-377.
Klein, D. N., & Kuiper, N. A. (2006). Humor styles, peer relationships, and bullying in middle childhood. Humor: The International Journal of Humor Research, 19, 383-404.
Butzer, B., & Kuiper, N. A. (2008). Humor use in romantic relationships: The effects of relationship satisfaction and pleasant versus conflict situations. The Journal of Psychology: Interdisciplinary and Applied, 142, 245-260.
Kuiper, N.A., & Harris, A. L. (2009, February 19). Humor styles and negative affect as predictors of different components of physical health. Europe’s Journal of Psychology. www.ejop.org
Kuiper, N.A. & McHale, N. (2009). Humor styles as mediators between self-evaluative standards and psychological well-being. Journal of Psychology: Interdisciplinary and Applied. 143(4), 359-376.
Kuiper, N.A. & Leite, C. (2010). Personality impressions associated with four distinct humor styles. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, 51, 115-122.
Kuiper, N.A. (in press). Introductory comments: Special Issue of EJOP (August 2010) on humor research in personality and social psychology. Europe’s Journal of Psychology: Special Issue on Humor Research in Personality and Social Psychology. www.ejop.org
Kuiper, N.A., Kazarian, S., Sine, J. & Bassil, M. (in press). The impact of humor in North American versus Middle East cultures. Europe’s Journal of Psychology: Special Issue on Humor Research in Personality and Social Psychology. www.ejop.org
Kuiper, N.A., Kirsh, G., & Leite, C. (in press). Reactions to humorous comments and implicit theories of humor styles. Europe’s Journal of Psychology: Special Issue on Humor Research in Personality and Social Psychology. www.ejop.org
Depression and other Clinical Research
Kirsh, G.A., & Kuiper, N.A. (2002). Individualism and relatedness themes in the context of depression, gender, and a self-schema model of emotion. Canadian Psychology, 43, 76-90.
Butzer, B., & Kuiper, N. A. (2006). Relationships between the frequency of social comparisons and self- concept clarity, intolerance of uncertainty, anxiety and depression. Personality and Individual Differences, 41, 167-176.
Leite, C., & Kuiper, N.A. (2008). Client uncertainty and the process of change in psychotherapy: The impact of individual differences in self-concept clarity and intolerance of uncertainty Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy, 38, 55-64. (Winner of the Wilfred Quaytman Award for Creative Innovations in Psychotherapy).Research
In general, my research program investigates both adaptive and maladaptive personality styles that may pertain to psychological well-being, psychopathology, and various social interactions and activities that individuals may engage in. Adaptive personality characteristics include positive facets of sense of humor (such as affiliative or self-enhancing humor); whereas maladaptive characteristics include depression, anxiety, and negative facets of humor (such as aggressive or self-defeating humor).
Currently, my main research interests pertain to sense of humor. This interest in studying the psychology of humor began in the early 1990’s, with a special emphasis on the personality and social psychological aspects of humor. Much of my research has focused on individual differences in sense of humor, with implications for stress, coping, psychological well-being, physical health, and social interactions. Further research has examined humor use in romantic relationships, the potential links between humor use and bullying in middle childhood, cross-cultural distinctions in humor, and the implicit theories of humor that individuals develop about themselves and others. In addition to humor research, I also retain an interest in work that focuses on the lay theories that individuals have about depression, including their perceptions of causes, consequences, and treatment effectiveness. Over the years, many of my graduate students have been actively involved in research projects that pertain to these topics.
If you wish to receive a copy of my entire list of publications, please send me an e-mail at: kuiper@uwo.ca
