Emotional and Cognitive Predictors of the Enjoyment of Reality-Based and Fictional Television Programming: An Elaboration of the Uses and Gratifications Perspective

@article{Nabi2006EmotionalAC,
  title={Emotional and Cognitive Predictors of the Enjoyment of Reality-Based and Fictional Television Programming: An Elaboration of the Uses and Gratifications Perspective},
  author={Robin L. Nabi and Carmen R. Stitt and Jeff Halford and Keli L. Finnerty},
  journal={Media Psychology},
  year={2006},
  volume={8},
  pages={421 - 447}
}
This article reports the results of two studies designed to compare predictors of enjoyment of reality-based and fictional television programming. In Study 1, 260 adults completed a survey of their cognitive and emotional reactions to either the fictional or reality-based programming that they generally watch. In Study 2, 502 adults completed a similar survey but with a particular reality-based or fictional program in mind. Results suggest first that though voyeurism (i.e., curiosity about… Expand
View on Taylor & Francis
www-personal.umich.edu
178 Citations
Highly Influential Citations
10
Background Citations
42
Methods Citations
5
Results Citations
3

178 Citations

Citation Type

Citation Type

Inspirational Reality TV: The Prosocial Effects of Lifestyle Transforming Reality Programs on Elevation and Altruism
In light of recent theories of meaningful media that suggest a host of psychological benefits, the present study uniquely extends the boundaries of the effects of reality TV from simply offering… Expand
Reality TV, materialism, and associated consequences: An exploration of the influences of enjoyment and social comparison on reality TV’s cultivation effects
ABSTRACT This study applied cultivation theory to examine the effects of reality TV on viewer materialism and the associated consequences of materialism. At first glance reality TV appeared to be the… Expand
Investigating Personality and Viewing-Motivation Correlates of Reality Television Exposure
This study investigated the personality and viewing-motivation correlates of reality television exposure. Results from a survey of 592 undergraduates showed that extroversion negatively predicted… Expand
Real mean girls? Reality television viewing, social aggression, and gender-related beliefs among female emerging adults.
The popularity of reality TV programming exceeds that of any other genre, particularly among young female viewers. Past research suggests a link between viewing reality TV, gender stereotyping, and… Expand
Mediated Voyeurism and the Guilty Pleasure of Consuming Reality Television
Media commentators have frequently argued that the rising popularity of reality programs stems from the show's ability to accommodate television viewers' voyeuristic needs. However, extant literature… Expand
Emotional Responses to Social Comparisons in Reality Television Programming
TLDR
This study examined how social comparisons to cast members influenced emotional responses to reality television programming by cued with a specific comparison target group and placed in a situation of self-image enhancement or threat. Expand
Reality television predicts both positive and negative outcomes for adolescent girls.
TLDR
The results indicated that the influence of reality television on adolescent behavior is complex and potentially related to the adolescents' intended uses and gratifications for using reality television. Expand
Reconceptualizing address in television programming: The effect of address and affective empathy on viewer experience of parasocial interaction
Much scholarship has examined the parasocial bonds between audiences and media personalities. However, recent research differentiated between the development of parasocial relationships and the… Expand
My Friend Harry’s a Wizard: Predicting Parasocial Interaction With Characters From Fiction
We explored parasocial interactions with characters from a narrow range of books and movies, namely, those featuring the character “Harry Potter.” Following research that suggests that parasocial… Expand
Exploring Viewers’ Responses to Nine Reality TV Subgenres
Reality TV is a genre that places nonactors in dramatic situations with unpredictable outcomes. The influx of reality TV dominating network and cable programming has been highly reflective in its… Expand
...
1
2
3
4
5
...

References

SHOWING 1-10 OF 43 REFERENCES
Predictors of Viewing and Enjoyment of Reality-Based and Fictional Crime Shows
Telephone surveys were conducted in Virginia and Wisconsin to explore attitudinal predictors of exposure to and enjoyment of reality-based and fictional crime programs. Punitive attitudes about… Expand
Reality-Based Television Programming and the Psychology of Its Appeal
Despite the general presence of reality-based television programming for more than a decade and its recent increasing popularity, the extant literature on the phenomenon is limited. In Study 1, we… Expand
Psychological Processes in Perceiving Reality
Little attention has been paid to the mental processes and the story elements that influence perceived reality judgments of media stories. People often lack the motivation or ability to be thoughtful… Expand
Antisocial acts in reality programming on television
This study poses two questions about the portrayals of aggressive behavior on non‐fictional television programs. First, to what extent do the patterns of antisocial activity in televised… Expand
Why People Watch Reality TV
We assessed the appeal of reality TV by asking 239 adults to rate themselves on each of 16 basic motives using the Reiss Profile standardized instrument and to rate how much they watched and enjoyed… Expand
Adolescents' Coping With Frightening Mass Media
A total of 228 9th and 10th graders completed a questionnaire that measured (among other variables) the use and perceived effectiveness of strategies for coping with scary films (distraction,… Expand
Origins of Media Exposure
This investigation of the five-factor model of personality as a correlate of mass media use was designed to validate key links in a basic model of the uses and gratifications paradigm. Survey data… Expand
An Examination of Factors Related to Sex Differences In Enjoyment of Sad Films
Three studies were conducted to examine possible explanations for sex differences in enjoyment of sad films. The first two studies examined enjoyment of prototypical "female" and "male" sad films… Expand
Psychological Predictors of Television Viewing Motivation
Our objective was to explore the psychological origins of media gratifications by examining how pertinent psychological variables, based on McGuire's paradigm, help explain television viewing… Expand
Media entertainment: The psychology of its appeal.
Contents: Preface. D. Zillmann, The Coming of Media Entertainment. P. Vorderer, Interactive Entertainment and Beyond. D. Zillmann, Humor and Comedy. P. Vorderer, S. Knobloch, Conflict and Suspense in… Expand
...
1
2
3
4
5
...