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This article presents an analysis of media effects articles published in JMCQ from 1954 to 2020. Although the primary focus of our sample of articles focused on news, a wealth of additional topics were also examined, including attitude change, media selection, and sharing of media content. While some of this body of scholarship reflects more "traditional" conceptualizations of media effects research, others point to a broader conceptualization that reflects individuals as active in their selection, processing, evaluation, and even creation of media content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural disasters have increased exponentially in recent decades, imposing existential threats to humans. Yet, surprisingly little research has explored the role of religion and spirituality (R/S) and transcendence-related character strengths in post-disaster depression. Using data (N = 491) from victims of Category 5 Hurricane Michael, this study examined whether R/S factors and character strengths helped to buffer against post-disaster depressive symptoms. A hierarchical regression model revealed an inverse association of perceived spiritual support with depression, after adjusting for demographic and event-related factors; strength of faith and the use of prayer for coping were not significantly related with depression. Upon inclusion of character strengths into the model, those relationships changed dramatically. Hope and optimism negatively predicted depression, whereas strength of faith and prayer for coping did so positively. Follow-up moderation analyses found that victims reporting particularly high levels of R/S factors and particularly low levels of character strength experienced the most depressive symptoms. The findings suggest that the potential protection of R/S factors in disasters may actually be due to transcendence-related character strength factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over recent decades, massive natural disasters have increased in intensity. A 40-year literature review underscored the centrality of spirituality in such disasters but called for further scale development and studies further exploring the role of personality traits. As a response, the current study (1) validated a revised Using Private Prayer for Coping (UPPC-R) scale using data (N = 566) from Category 5 Hurricanes Maria and Michael, and (2) examined the effect of the UPPC-R and perceived spiritual support (PSS) on character strengths, in conjunction with disaster-related emotional responses. Of the sample, 76% used prayer to cope. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses supported a single-factor UPPC-R with strong psychometric properties. A path model demonstrated the mediation of the UPPC-PSS link between faith and character strengths, alongside peritraumatic positive emotional responses. The findings suggest that UPPC-R is an adequate tool for disaster research and that personality traits may vary with disaster-related experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The conditions under which social media use impacts well-being and mental health are complex. The current 10-day longitudinal quasi-experiment (student sample, N = 111) applied an entertainment theory lens to explore the effects of active posting and engaging with hedonic or inspiring Facebook content (vs. passive browsing) on young people’s eudaimonic well-being (levels of connectedness to humanity, love, compassion, presence of meaning) and mental health (anxiety and depressive symptoms). The results provide tentative evidence that finding and sharing inspiring content to a Facebook group increased love and compassion toward others over time. It also led to more compassion at the end of the study compared to participants who shared hedonic content. Although we did not find an increase in connectedness and meaningfulness over time for participants sharing content that they found inspiring, the latter also did not take away from those experiences, regardless of how they used it. Similarly, no decrease—but also no increase—in anxiety and depressive symptoms were found over time, regardless of condition. The study stresses the importance of better understanding the content young adults engage with on social media for their mental health and wellbeing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study examined how parasocial relationships with both original (i.e., newly created and unfamiliar) and unoriginal (i.e., previously existing and familiar) characters and nostalgia-proneness can influence audience selection and enjoyment of movie adaptations. In an experiment, participants were exposed to storyboards previewing movies that could potentially be adapted from cartoon television shows to become future movies. The storyboards were manipulated to have either original or unoriginal characters. Afterward, participants reported how much they enjoyed and felt nostalgic about the stimuli, their future viewing intentions, and their parasocial interactions with the characters. Results showed that participants with stronger parasocial relationships with both original and unoriginal characters predicted greater parasocial interactions, enjoyment, and viewing intentions. Additional results partially demonstrated that those with stronger nostalgia-proneness expressed greater enjoyment and future viewing intentions for storyboards with unoriginal characters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Little is yet known about audiences who routinely seek out media content that is inspirational in nature. The current study expands the research on inspirational media by utilizing a nationally representative sample of U.S. audiences (n = 2,016) to explore relationships between inspiring media exposure, trait transcendence, and self-transcendent emotions. Results show that media content is a reliable source for everyday self-transcendent emotional experiences in U.S. audiences. These experiences are most frequently encountered by persons with high levels of trait spirituality and gratitude. The profile of U.S. audiences that seek out inspiring media is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the effects of semi-fictional biographical political films on political learning and attitude change in audiences of fictionalized accounts of female politicians. Data from 310 participants indicated that content-related political learning significantly increased and attitude toward female politicians positively changed after exposure. A conceptual model of the political entertainment effects indicated that initial political learning transported the audience into the biographical narrative, which led to greater enjoyment, as well as learning gain and a positive attitude toward female politicians. Our findings provide important clarification to existing research and offer both theoretical, methodological, and practical implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self-transcendent media experiences are thought to involve cognitive engagement and mixed affect, leading to psychological well-being. The current study investigated whether these characteristics were reflected in viewers' psychophysiological responses and sharing intentions. Multilevel model analyses revealed that viewers (n = 57) allocated more cognitive resources to encoding (heart rate), experienced greater physiological arousal (skin conductance level), and less positive but greater negative affect (facial electromyography), and were more motivated to share content (prosociality) when exposed to self-transcendent videos relative to humorous videos. Moreover, specific self-transcendent portrayals (appreciation of beauty and excellence, gratitude, and hope) elicited greater cognitive effort and mixed affect relative to the average response of these videos. In line with emotional flow, cognitive resources increased after the transformational scene in each self-transcendent video, which was accompanied by a negative-to-positive emotional trajectory shift wherein negative emotion remained statistically the same but positive emotion increased. The current study provides initial evidence for theoretical development into the ways that self-transcendent content and narrative structure influence cognitive and affective responses and prosocial intentions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent years have seen a growing amount of research effort directed toward what positive media psychologists refer to as self-transcendent emotions, such as awe, admiration, elevation, gratitude, inspiration, and hope. While these emotions are invaluable to promote greater human connectedness, prosociality, and human flourishing, researchers are constrained in terms of analyzing self-transcendent emotions as expressed in spoken and written languages. Drawing upon the word-counting approach of the text analysis paradigm, this project aimed at constructing a dictionary tool—Self-Transcendent Emotion Dictionary (STED)—which can be uploaded into mainstream, text analytic software (e.g., LIWC) to identify and analyze self-transcendent emotions in large corpora. This dictionary tool was then refined and validated via three studies, where individual words were first rated with regard to their fitness into the proposed construct (Step 1), and then used to analyze essays written to reflect the corresponding construct (Step 2). Finally, the refined dictionary was applied to examine words used in nearly 4,000 human-coded New York Times articles (Step 3). Results indicated that the final dictionary, consisting of 351 lexicons and phrases, exhibits acceptable face and construct validity, and possesses a reasonable level of external validity and applicability. Despite its shortcoming in accounting for the rhetorical techniques ingrained in natural human language, the STED could be instrumental for social scientific inquiry of positive emotions in textual narratives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although a great deal of research has examined the potential negative effects of Facebook, studies also show that Facebook use can lead to various positive effects. This study builds on this positive effects scholarship: together, the two studies presented herein aim to provide an understanding of the inspirational content available on Facebook and the way social media users in the United States encounter, recall, and interact with this content. Results from the quantitative content analysis in Study 1 show that inspirational Facebook posts contain similar frequencies of hope and appreciation of beauty and excellent elicitors when compared with other forms of media and social media. Results from the national survey conducted in Study 2 show that social media users are most often inspired by portrayals of kindness and overcoming obstacles and that Facebook users did not report different sharing behavior as compared with users of other social media sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Past research indicates that people often share awe-inspiring news online. However, little is known about the content of those stories. In this study, more broadly defined "inspirational" articles shared through The New York Times website over a 6-month period were analyzed, with the goals of describing the content and identifying characteristics that might predict inspirationality and measures of retransmission. The results provided a snapshot of content found within inspirational news stories; they also revealed that self-transcendent language use predicted the inspirationality of a news story, as well as how long an article appeared on a most shared list. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reports the findings from a national survey of self-transcendent (or inspiring) media audience members in the United States. Exposure to self-transcendent content is socially significant because, theoretically, it can orient users toward matters beyond themselves, ultimately promoting connections with others and altruistic behaviors. However, to date, little is known about the daily audiences for such fare. Four primary questions guided the investigation: (a) What are the media sources and contents identified as “inspiring” by the audience? (b) Who makes up the current U.S. audience for self-transcendent media content? (c) What personality traits and viewer characteristics are associated with self-transcendent media consumption? and (d) What prosocial and altruistic behaviors are associated with self-transcendent media consumption? To address these questions, a nationally representative survey (n = 3,006) was conducted. The findings are discussed in relation to the growing body of scholarship on positive media psychology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interest in the meaningful sides of media entertainment has blossomed over the last decade, with numerous scholars examining how certain media content can enhance social good and well-being. Because social scientific work in this area is relatively new and is rapidly evolving, numerous conceptualizations of meaningful media experiences have been introduced. In this paper we argue for the importance of recognizing a unique form of media experience that causes us to look beyond our own concerns, to recognize moral beauty, and to feel unity with humanity and nature—what we label here as “self-transcendent media experiences.” [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the increased attention to eudaimonic media experiences, to date scholars have paid little attention to the specific portrayals responsible for those experiences. Study 1 of this project reports the first systematic content analysis of self-transcendent media-a particular type of eudaimonic media-using a sample of 100 'inspirational' YouTube videos. The presence of 20 specific elicitors associated with self-transcendent emotions was examined and reported. In Study 2, respondents provided real-time self-transcendent emotional reactions while viewing 3 'inspirational' videos. As expected, ratings significantly increased immediately following exposure to each specific elicitor. Thus, this project reports the first empirical evidence directly linking specific representations to content identified as 'inspirational' and directly linking those representations to self-transcendent emotional reactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Television ( TV) is reemerging as a focal point for common experiences and community formation through the use of various digital technologies while viewing. A prominent example of this is second screening, or the use of various technologies to share reactions to and attitudes and opinions about what we see and hear while watching TV with other (virtual) viewers. We contend that second screening requires communication scholars to rethink the nature of the TV entertainment experience, as the practice increasingly blurs lines between interpersonal and mass communication processes. In this article, we introduce a conceptual model designed to identify key issues to be considered and addressed by those seeking to better understand entertainment experiences during socially shared TV viewing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the relationship between exposure to Bollywood movies and job-seeking behavior of South Asian females. Using survey data collected from 132 female participants, we explored the effects of exposure to Bollywood movies on job search self-efficacy, enjoyment and job-seeking behavior of South Asian females living in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, India, and Pakistan. We also applied a structural equation model to examine the role of enjoyment and job search self-efficacy in mediating the relationship between frequency of exposure to Bollywood movies and job-seeking behavior. Results indicated that exposure to Bollywood movies was positively related to enjoyment and job-seeking behavior of the female viewers of Bollywood movies. We also found a significant relationship between job search self-efficacy and job-seeking behavior. Our study offers a significant insight into the role of entertainment narratives in influencing the behavior of South Asian female audiences that hitherto remained a neglected group in media effects research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we propose that the massive, unsolicited, real-time data generated by social media might provide media psychologists with new paths for examining the role that morality and moral thinking play during the consumption of entertainment. Our broad goal was to explore a potentially new methodological approach to the study of morality and media and to offer an initial case study in applying that approach. The case study examined if, and if so how, viewers used Twitter to express their moral thoughts during the Season 3 finale ofDownton Abbey.Based on moral foundation theory and affective disposition theory, we derived and examined a set of propositions. Specifically, we observed and discussed the importance of tweets (a) reflecting language from five moral domains, (b) for a beloved character who suffers pain and loss, and (c) about a character who regularly violates moral norms. We conclude that social TV analysis offers a promising new way for researchers to explore issues of morality and media reception. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

An introduction is presented that discusses entertainment research, noting issue articles on topics such as cognitive processing of entertainment media, the role of moral intuitions in entertainment processing, and political aspects of entertainment.

Affective disposition theory (ADT), which nicely explains enjoyment of traditional hero narratives, appears somewhat limited in its ability to explain antihero narratives, primarily because of the moral complexity of the protagonists. Recent work proposes that viewers over time develop story schema that permit antihero enjoyment, despite character immorality. This article reports results from three studies that support this claim. Specifically, the findings indicate that moral judgment may be less important to antihero enjoyment than ADT would predict, that previous exposure to an antihero narrative alters responses to similar narratives, and that moral disengagement cues impact the enjoyment process. Ultimately, the studies offer empirical evidence of how antihero narratives are enjoyed differently than their traditional hero counterparts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this research is to broaden the conceptualization of entertainment selection to identify not only pleasure-seeking (hedonic concerns) as a motivator, but to also recognize that individuals may choose media as a means of 'truth-seeking' (eudaimonic concerns). This article conceptualized and developed measures to illustrate that entertainment can be used as a means of experiencing not only enjoyment, but also as a means of grappling with questions such as life's purpose and human meaningfulness. 4 studies were conducted in the development of these measures, providing evidence for their validity in terms of entertainment preference and individual differences, and illustrating how these motivations predict preferences for entertainment that elicits unique affective experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between the levels and contexts of sports violence and viewer enjoyment, mood, and perceptions of violence. To this end, 188 participants viewed clips in 1 of 3 viewing conditions: nonviolent play, unscripted violent play, and scripted violent play. Findings indicated that viewers enjoyed the violent play more than the nonviolent, enjoyed the unscripted violent play more than the scripted, and found the scripted violent play to be less suspenseful and more violent than the unscripted play. Furthermore, members of the scripted violent play condition reported less positive moods after viewing, especially female and nonsports-fan participants. Possible implications of the findings for entertainment researchers are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, I investigated the relation between moral judgment and the enjoyment of crime dramas by varying the relative severity of punishment levied for a crime. One hundred fifty-one participants rated their enjoyment of a video clip depicting a crime with the perpetrator being punished either excessively or not at all. In keeping with previous literature, I predicted that the different punishments would elicit different levels of moral judgment, which would then impact enjoyment. The results indicate that crime drama enjoyment was consistently predicted by certain social justice attitudes and resulting moral judgments about the content. The findings lend support to moral sanction theory and the integrated model of crime drama enjoyment and shed further insight into how viewer cognitions impact dispositional affiliations formed toward characters in media entertainment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the interaction among different news sources, individual levels of partisanship and the hostile media effect in sports news. Support for the hostile media effect among sports news consumers; Mechanisms through which the hostile media effect occurs; Possible impact of credibility ratings of news sources on typical hostile media perceptions.

The goal of the study is to better understand the relationship between factors involved in moral judgment of entertainment and the enjoyment of crime drama. After completing numerous social-justice measures, the 139 participants viewed one of two clips from a crime-punishment movie and then responded to survey items regarding their enjoyment of the clip. The clips differed in the type of crime presented. It was predicted that the different crimes would elicit different levels of moral judgment about the punishments for those crimes, which would then impact enjoyment. Although the levels of enjoyment reported for the two clips were similar, enjoyment was predicted by different factors of moral judgment in each condition, as predicted. The results lend further support to disposition theory and the integrated model of crime-drama enjoyment, as well as identify factors of moral reasoning that consistently serve as predictors of crime-drama enjoyment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Proposes a theoretical framework for moral reasoning on mediated crime and punishment. Role of moral judgment in media consumption; Concept of crime-based entertainment; Emphasis on cognitive processing in crime dramas.

The article discusses the current special issue on entertainment research. Topics include the notion of a hedonism-centered approach to entertainment research, the relation between online social media and mass media entertainment experiences, and the relation of spirituality to mass media content. The impact of mobile devices on entertainment experiences is noted.

Previous research has shown the harmful effects of stereotypical messages on viewers, including increased negative attitudes toward outgroup members. In contrast, positive or counter-stereotypical portrayals can lead to less prejudiced attitudes toward outgroup members; however, these kinds of portrayals are not always easy to come by. As a result, alternative methods for combating the effects of stereotypical messages are necessary. The current study examined the ability of self-transcendent emotions, specifically awe, to reduce the negative effects of stereotypical portrayals of African American men. Contrary to expectations, results showed that participants who watched an awe-inducing video before a stereotypical video reported more negative explicit attitudes toward African Americans compared to those in control conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]