The effect of humor on remembering, understanding, and paraphrasing children’s video Bible stories

Abstract

This study investigated the effect of humor in religious stories on a child’s ability to remember, understand, and paraphrase content, as well as on enjoyment. Ages of the children were also considered. Participants watched one of two videos teaching the story of Saul’s conversion found in Acts 9:1–22. Although inclusion of humor did not have a significant impact, there was a significant effect of age on remembering, understanding, and paraphrasing. Previous exposure to the story increased overall scores, which suggests that repetition is key to a successful learning experience.