Although humor is a recommended strategy for scientists to connect with publics, there is a lack of empirical evidence concerning its effectiveness. We conduct an experiment to test how funny science on Twitter affects engagement intentions. We find that different humor types caused viewers to experience different levels of mirth, which mediated the relationship between our experimental manipulation and engagement intentions. We also find need for humor, an individual trait, to moderate the relationship between mirth and engagement intentions. These findings extend our understanding of humor in science communication and offer empirical evidence on which practical advice can be grounded.

中文翻译：

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预测在 Twitter 上参与科学信息的意图：欢乐的作用和对幽默的需求

尽管幽默是科学家与公众建立联系的推荐策略，但缺乏关于其有效性的经验证据。我们进行了一项实验，以测试 Twitter 上的有趣科学如何影响参与意图。我们发现不同的幽默类型使观众体验到不同程度的欢笑，这介导了我们的实验操作和参与意图之间的关系。我们还发现需要幽默这一个人特质来调节欢笑和参与意图之间的关系。这些发现扩展了我们对科学传播中幽默的理解，并提供了实践建议可以作为依据的经验证据。