In a recent study published in the journal Personality and Individual Differences, researchers investigated the psychological makeup of comedians, comparing them to a control group from the general population. The research indicates that while comedians do exhibit some dysfunctional traits and mental health issues, these characteristics might be more closely associated with residing in New York City than with their profession as comedians.
The perception of comedians as inherently troubled and psychologically distressed has been influenced by anecdotal evidence and high-profile cases like the tragic suicide of Robin Williams. Previous research has often painted comedians as melancholic or dysfunctional, particularly highlighting a narrative where comedy stems from pain and suffering. This study was conducted to assess these claims with empirical data.
Researchers at St. John’s University recruited 108 comedians through social media and in-person channels and compared them with 99 adults from the general population. Participants completed various questionnaires online, which measured demographic backgrounds, psychiatric history, personality traits (using the Big Five Inventory), and personality dysfunction (using the Personality Inventory for DSM-5). The researchers also assessed the presence of specific psychiatric symptoms using a comprehensive diagnostic screening tool.
Compared to the general population, comedians were more likely to report having received mental health treatment at some point in their lives. This could indicate a greater openness within the comedy community towards seeking psychological help or a reflection of the stresses associated with their profession.
Furthermore, comedians also reported higher levels of past substance use, which might be influenced by the cultural norms and environments of the entertainment industry, where substance use is often more tolerated.
In terms of specific psychiatric symptoms, comedians exhibited higher levels of Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) and Somatization Disorder, conditions characterized by excessive anxiety and physical symptoms that are not caused by physical disease, respectively.
Comedians also scored higher on certain personality traits, notably extraversion and openness to experience. Extraversion in comedians could be linked to the demands of their job, which often requires public speaking and engaging with audiences, while high openness might relate to the creative aspects of crafting comedy. Interestingly, comedians also exhibited higher levels of antagonism, a trait associated with lower agreeableness. This could reflect a professional persona that some comedians adopt, which may include a more confrontational style of humor.
The researchers did not find significant differences in neuroticism, which contrasts with the troubled artist stereotype that suggests higher emotional instability among comedians.
Another intriguing aspect of the study was the examination of malignant self-regard, a construct related to self-esteem and narcissistic tendencies, where comedians scored significantly higher than the general population. This higher malignant self-regard suggests that comedians might possess traits of vulnerable narcissism, such as sensitivity to criticism and a strong desire for approval, which could be both a personal vulnerability and a professional mechanism to enhance their comedic performance.
Interestingly, however, some of the differences between comedians and non-comedians became non-significant when the researchers accounted for a specific variable: living in New York City. The sample included 64 participants who reported living in New York City and 143 who reported living elsewhere. After controlling for regional differences, some of the significant findings, such as higher levels of anxiety and malignant self-regard, were no longer apparent, suggesting that environmental factors associated with living in a major metropolitan area plays a role in these outcomes.
“This interpretation suggests that while comedians have a slightly different personality profile, there is little evidence of differences on measures of psychiatric symptoms or personality dysfunction, a set of results that does not support the ‘troubled stand-up stereotype,'” the researchers concluded. “Given how geographic region impacted our results on [anxiety] and [malignant self-regard], future research should include geographical differences as a covariate as clarify their associations with comedians. Further research on [malignant self-regard] in comedians is warranted, specifically in assessing for characteristics of vulnerable narcissism including hypersensitive self-focus and a desire for approval.”
The study, “Personality and psychopathology in stand-up comedians,” was authored by Lauren B. Lloveras and Wilson McDermut.