This study attempts to advance the existing literature on the relationship between humor style
and psychological well-being by investigating the mediating role of belongingness among
Indian residential college students. A sample of 306 students comprising of 129 females and
177 males aged from 18- 35 years completed measures assessing four humor styles (affiliative,
self-enhancing, self-defeating, and aggressive), general belongingness and psychological well-
being. Mediation analyses were conducted using Hayes' PROCESS macro. Findings reveal that
belongingness significantly mediates the relationship between three humor styles—affiliative,
self-enhancing, and self-defeating—and psychological well-being. Specifically, higher
affiliative and self-enhancing humor are associated with greater well-being through enhanced
feelings of belongingness. Conversely, self-defeating humor, often linked to lower well-being,
exerts its effect indirectly by diminishing belongingness. However, belongingness did not
mediate the relationship between aggressive humor style and well-being, suggesting a distinct,
possibly unbuffered, pathway between aggressive humor and psychological outcomes. These
results underscore how humor styles interact with psychological constructs to shape well-being
in diverse populations. Findings emphasize the potential for fostering belongingness to enhance
well-being through adaptive humor styles, with implications for interventions targeting student
mental health.