An application of quasi-experiments to study humour in tourism settings guided by post-positivism

The focus of this chapter is on adopting a quasi-experimental research design to investigate humour in tourism settings. The overall aim of my PhD thesis was directed at understanding tourists’ responses to humour. To achieve this overall aim, I conducted a quasi-experimental field study at two tourism settings using a self-administered questionnaire. The intent of this quasi-experimental field study was to measure the effect that changing humour scenarios had on tourists and to investigate how key variables related to one another. This chapter addresses in detail why I selected a quasi-experimental research design and the decisions that needed to be made along the way.