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Gelotophobia Questionnaire (GELOPH-15)

Gelotophobia Questionnaire (GELOPH-15) Test

Understand how strongly you fear being laughed at or looking ridiculous in about 3 minutes. A quick 15 item screen that supports case planning and tracks change over time.

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Questions: 153 minutes

Hi! My name is Freudly, i am an AI therapist, I will give you an interpretation of the test after you complete it.

08:30

October 2, 2025

October 2, 2025
Material has been updated

October 2, 2025
Material has been published

14,594 views

994 completions

786 likes

Verified by Daniel Hall

Psychologist with 25 years of experience

Scale Explorer

How the Scales are Structured

example score

2/4

Gelotophobia Total Score (GTS)

Measures the intensity of fear of being laughed at or appearing foolish in the eyes of others.

Low

Moderate

High

1 – 1.3: Low | 1.4 – 2.3: Moderate | 2.4 – 4: High

A score of 2 falls in the Moderate range, suggesting a noticeable but not extreme tendency to interpret others’ laughter or jokes as potentially ridiculing.

example score

3/4

Self-Perception (SP)

Measures sensitivity and suspiciousness about being laughed at, including a tendency to interpret others’ laughter as mockery or insult.

Low sensitivity

Moderate sensitivity

High sensitivity

1 – 2: Low sensitivity | 2.1 – 3: Moderate sensitivity | 3.1 – 4: High sensitivity

A score of 3 indicates moderate sensitivity to ridicule, meaning laughter may sometimes be interpreted as directed at you or as disrespectful.

example score

3/4

Social Reactivity (SR)

Measures how a person typically reacts in social situations involving laughter, including sensitivity to others’ reactions and potential avoidance of being laughed at.

Low

Moderate

High

1 – 2: Low | 2.1 – 3: Moderate | 3.1 – 4: High

A score of 3 falls in the Moderate range, suggesting noticeable sensitivity to laughter-related social cues with some tendency toward caution or restriction in such situations.

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DATA-BASED USER COHORTS

Who Usually Takes This Test?

Socially anxious adults

41%OF USERS

People who frequently worry they will be laughed at and avoid speaking up, joking, or being the center of attention.

Clients in therapy

33%OF USERS

People already working with a psychologist or psychotherapist who want a quick screening of fear of ridicule to guide support.

Students and young professionals

26%OF USERS

People facing presentations, interviews, or new social groups who want to understand why embarrassment and teasing feel especially threatening.

BASED ON AGGREGATED, ANONYMIZED DATA FROM TENS OF THOUSANDS OF FREUDLY USERS.

RESULTS YOU CAN ACTUALLY USE

Scale Results
— Explained Clearly

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AI-Powered
Interpretation

You’ll receive a structured, clinically-grounded explanation. Our AI analyzes patterns and relationships between scales to provide a coherent interpretation, without exaggerated language.

Statistical
Comparison

See how your results compare to others. Anonymized platform data is used to create a percentile scale, which identifies whether your results are typical.

Practical
Recommendations

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AI-Powered
Insights

Get insights on behavioral and thought patterns you might not notice on your own. By uncovering subtle connections between your responses, you’ll better understand what may be driving your current results.

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Used in 52+ countries

Benchmarking

See How You Compare

Once you complete the test, your results are compared with real-world data from people in your country.
Below is a preview of how scores are typically distributed across each scale.

Overall Gelotophobia Score (OGS)

Average

3.1

Normal range

2.6 — 3.6

min.

max.

Majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

Self-perception (S)

Average

2.7

Normal range

2.3 — 3.1

min.

max.

Majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

Social Responsiveness (SR)

Average

2.5

Normal range

1.9 — 3

min.

max.

Majority

This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.

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CLEAR ANSWERS TO COMMON QUESTIONS

Frequently Asked Questions

What does this questionnaire measure?

It measures fear of being laughed at or appearing ridiculous. It captures worry about negative reactions to one’s behavior or humor.

How is it administered?

It consists of 15 brief statements rated by the respondent. Completion typically takes about 3 minutes.

How should responses be chosen?

Select the option that best matches typical feelings or behavior. Answer all items using the same response scale.

How are results interpreted?

Scores reflect the severity of fear of ridicule from low to high. Interpretation should consider context and is not a standalone diagnosis.

Who developed and adapted the instrument?

It was developed by W. Ruch and R. Proyer (2008). A Russian adaptation was completed by E. M. Ivanova, S. N. Enikolopov, and colleagues (2011).

WHAT THE TEST MEASURES

About This Assessment

Gelotophobia Questionnaire (GELOPH-15) Test - Symptoms and Signs

sense of humor phobias gelotophobia

The Gelotophobia Questionnaire (GELOPH-15) is a brief self-report measure used to screen for fear of being laughed at or becoming the target of ridicule. It is intended to support clinical interviewing and case formulation by characterizing concerns about appearing foolish and related social-evaluative anxiety.

Developed by René T. Proyer and Willibald Ruch, it consists of 15 items and typically requires about 3 minutes to complete. Responses are summed to yield an overall index of gelotophobia severity.

In clinical and research settings, the Gelotophobia Questionnaire (GELOPH-15) may be used as an adjunct to broader assessment of social functioning, self-consciousness, and avoidance behaviors. Results should be interpreted in context with presenting concerns, history, and other assessment data rather than used as a standalone basis for diagnosis.

Author: René T. Proyer, Willibald Ruch

Literature: Ruch, W., & Proyer, R. T. The fear of being laughed at: Individual and group differences in gelotophobia. Humor: International Journal of Humor Research. 2008.

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