Responses that Shift the Target of Teasing: Practices that Utilize the Complex Preference Organization of TeasingInvolving Positive Assessments

Abstract

This study examines a specific type of response used by participants to redirect the target of teasing from themselves to their behavior. While prior research has highlighted “po-faced responses” (Drew, 1987) such as denials and counterarguments as common reactions to teasing—often characterized by overt challenges or aggression—this study shifts the focus to teasing delivered through positive assessments. Using conversation analysis as its methodological framework, the study uncovered two key findings. First, recipients of teasing delivered as a positive assessment often respond by agreeing with the positive assessment about themselves. This agreement is typically expressed through smiling facial expressions, laughter or a playful tone, rendering the response recognizable as a joke. Second, the teaser often reacts to this agreement by treating it as inappropriate, using blame or criticism, which is also framed humorously through laughter. These findings suggest that agreeing with positive assessments functions as a strategy to manage teasing by invoking an alternative preference organization: the self-praise avoidance system (Pomerantz, 1978).