Breaking ground in cross-cultural research on the fear of being laughed at (gelotophobia): A multi-national study involving 73 countries
Authors: Proyer René T. , Ruch Willibald , Ali Numan S. , Al-Olimat Hmoud S. , Amemiya Toshihiko , Adal Tamirie Andualem , Ansari Sadia Aziz , Arhar Špela , Asem Gigi , Baudin Nicolas , Bawab Souha , Bergen Doris , Brdar Ingrid , Brites Rute , Brunner-Sciarra Marina , Carrell Amy , Dios Hugo Carretero , Celik Mehmet , Ceschi Grazia , Chang Kay , Guo-Hai Chen , Cheryomukhin Alexander , Chik Maria P. Y. , Chlopicki Wladyslaw , Cranney Jacquelyn , Dahourou Donatien , Doosje Sibe , Dore Margherita , El-Arousy Nahwat , Fickova Emilia , Führ Martin , Gallivan Joanne , Geling Han , Germikova Lydia , Giedraityte Marija , Goh Abe , González Rebeca Díaz , Ho Sai Kin , Hrebícková Martina , Jaime Belen , Kaare Birgit Hertzberg , Kamble Shanmukh , Kazarian Shahe , Kerkkänen Paavo , Klementová Mirka , Kobozeva Irina M. , Kovjanic Snjezana , Kumaraswamy Narasappa , Lampert Martin , Liao Chao-Chih , Levesque Manon , Loizou Eleni , Díaz Loving Rolando , Lyttle Jim , Machline Vera C. , McGoldrick Sean , Mcrorie Margaret , Min Liu , Mõttus René , Munyae Margret M. , Navia Carmen Elvira , Nkhalamba Mathero , Pedrini Pier Paolo , Petkova Mirsolava , Platt Tracey , Popa Diana-Elena , Radomska Anna , Rashid Tabassum , Rawlings David , Rubio Victor J. , Samson Andrea C. , Sarid Orly , Shams Soraya , Sisokohm Sek , Smári Jakob , Sneddon Ian , Snikhovska Irena , Stephanenko Ekaterina A. , Stokenberga Ieva , Stuer Hugo , Tanoto Yohana Sherly Rosalina , Tapia Luis , Taylor Julia , Thibault Pascal , Thompson Ava , Thörn Hanna , Toyota Hiroshi , Ujlaky Judit , Vanno Vitanya , Wang Jun , Van Der Westhuizen Betsie , Wijayathilake Deepani , Wong Peter S. O. , Wycoff Edgar B. , Yeun Eun Ja 
Published: February 2009

The current study examines whether the fear of being laughed at (gelotophobia) can be assessed reliably and validly by means of a self-report instrument in different countries of the world. All items of the GELOPH (Ruch and Titze, GELOPH〈46〉, University of Düsseldorf, 1998; Ruch and Proyer, Swiss Journal of Psychology 67:19–27, 2008b) were translated to the local language of the collaborator (42 languages in total). In total, 22,610 participants in 93 samples from 73 countries completed the GELOPH. Across all samples the reliability of the 15-item questionnaire was high (mean alpha of .85) and in all samples the scales appeared to be unidimensional. The endorsement rates for the items ranged from 1.31% through 80.00% to a single item. Variations in the mean scores of the items were more strongly related to the culture in a country and not to the language in which the data were collected. This was also supported by a multidimensional scaling analysis with standardized mean scores of the items from the GELOPH〈15〉. This analysis identified two dimensions that further helped explaining the data (i.e., insecure vs. intense avoidant-restrictive and low vs. high suspicious tendencies towards the laughter of others). Furthermore, multiple samples derived from one country tended to be (with a few exceptions) highly similar. The study shows that gelotophobia can be assessed reliably by means of a self-report instrument in cross-cultural research. This study enables further studies of the fear of being laughed at with regard to differences in the prevalence and putative causes of gelotophobia in comparisons to different cultures.