Entertainment as Pleasurable and Meaningful: Identifying Hedonic and Eudaimonic Motivations for Entertainment Consumption

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. Four 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.     

Media Entertainment and Well‐Being—Linking Hedonic and Eudaimonic Entertainment Experience to Media‐Induced Recovery and Vitality

This paper explores the impact of hedonic and eudaimonic entertainment experience on well‐being. We propose that the satisfaction of recovery needs can provide an important link that connects recent 2‐factor models of entertainment with well‐being after media consumption. Using path modeling, relationships between hedonic/eudaimonic entertainment experiences, media‐induced recovery experience, and vitality as a recovery outcome were explored in an experiment (N = 120). Results suggest that different recovery needs are satisfied by hedonic versus eudaimonic entertainment: Although hedonic entertainment experiences were associated with the recovery dimensions of relaxation and psychological detachment, eudaimonic entertainment was related to mastery experiences. Both entertainment facets, thus, lead to media‐induced recovery and resulted in increased psychological well‐being represented by higher levels of vitality after media use.     

Age Differences in Nonhedonic Entertainment Experiences

This article examines age differences in nonhedonic (eudaimonic) entertainment experiences. Results of an experimental study comparing younger adults aged 18 to 28 years (n = 84) with older adults aged 62 to 87 years (n = 65) who watched either a sad or a happy version of a meaningful film show that generally, older viewers reported higher levels of eudaimonic entertainment than younger participants. Furthermore, among older participants, eudaimonic entertainment experiences during the film were associated with positive affect and mixed emotions. This study further develops our understanding of nonhedonic entertainment experiences. Implications for other research areas are discussed.     

Tender Affective States as Predictors of Entertainment Preference

Four studies were conducted to explore how tender affective states (e.g., warmth, sympathy, understanding) predict attraction to entertainment that features poignant, dramatic, or tragic portrayals. Studies 1 and 2 found that tenderness was associated with greater interest in viewing sad films. Studies 3 and 4 found that tender affective states were associated with preferences for entertainment featuring not only sad portrayals but also entertainment featuring drama and human connection. Results are discussed in terms of how these forms of entertainment may provide viewers the opportunity to contemplate the poignancies of human life—an activity that may reflect motivations of media use related to meaningfulness or insight rather than only the experience of pleasure.     

Just Laugh! You Don't Need to Remember: The Effects of Entertainment Media on Political Information Acquisition and Information Processing in Political Judgment

This study investigates whether the entertainment media produce different patterns of political information acquisition and information processing (i.e., online- vs. memory-based information processing) in making political judgments (i.e., evaluation of a political actor) compared to the news media. Using an adult sample (aged 18–64 years), the study adopts an experimental design using the collections of real news and entertainment programs ( The Daily Show with Jon Stewart ) on the topic of the U.S. Supreme Court Justice and Chief Justice nomination processes in addition to a baseline group exposed to science documentaries. The results indicate that compared to news media, entertainment media are less effective in acquiring factual information, particularly in retaining issue and procedure knowledge. The study, for the first time, reveals that entertainment media facilitate online-based political information processing, whereas news media promote memory-based political information processing. The implications for the methodological and theoretical development of the impact of entertainment media and for citizen competence and participation in the recent changes in the political information environment are discussed.     

As Time Goes By: What Changes and What Remains the Same in Entertainment Experience Over the Life Span?

Across all age groups, entertainment is one of the most important motivations for media use. Relatively little is known, though, about the development of entertainment experience over the life span. Does entertainment actually mean the same thing to young and older people? Based on theories of adult emotional development, affect regulation, and well‐being, this study predicted and found that in terms of entertainment gratifications sought, young adults were more interested than older adults in emotionally intense entertainment experiences such as thrilling and tear‐jerking experiences, whereas older adults were more interested in contemplative entertainment experiences. However, in terms of gratifications obtained, ratings of film scenes showed that the same types of gratifications obtained predicted more positive evaluations independent of age.     

Political blog readers: Predictors of motivations for accessing political blogs

This study examines the motivations for why politically interested Internet users in the United States access political blogs and attempts to discover which factors predict motivations for using political blogs. Political surveillance/guidance motives appeared as the strongest motivation for using political blogs, followed by expression/affiliation, convenience/information seeking, and entertainment. Hierarchical regression analysis reveals that blog users with higher levels of political involvement and strength of party affiliation are attracted to political blogs to freely express their political opinion and communicate with other like-minded people, which may indicate the potential of Weblogs as an interactive political discursive space. Based on the findings, this study presents implications and suggestions for future research.     

Entertainment Technology Center

There's no doubt that the world of digital entertainment is here to stay. In addition, ongoing advances in computer technology will continue to expand not only the graphics palate of the medium but also the realm of imaginative, virtual experiences being offered to consumers. At Carnegie Mellon University's Entertainment Technology Center, we focus on creating new entertainment technologies, venues and experiences that take advantage of developments in technical fields like computer science, while seeking ways to include the traditional dynamics of fine arts such as drama, story-telling, film and theater. As educators of entertainment technology, we're continually asked to define our discipline. Our mission statement is “to provide leadership in education and research that combines technology and the arts to create new processes, tools and vision for story-telling and entertainment”     

Captivated and Grossed Out: An Examination of Processing Core and Sociomoral Disgusts in Entertainment Media

While disgust repels and offends us, it has functionally evolved over time to compel our attention—both to core disgusts (i.e., blood, guts, body products) and sociomoral violations (i.e., injustices, brutality, racism)—making it a quality of many entertainment messages that may keep audiences engrossed and engaged. An experiment exposed participants to two types of core disgusts and sociomoral disgusts in TV/film messages and collected self‐report emotional responses, psychophysiological indicators of dynamic emotional and cognitive processing, and recognition memory for content. Results demonstrate that no two disgusts are alike: Sociomoral disgusts captivate our attention and elicit a slower, more thoughtful response pattern than core disgusts, and the nature of the core disgust elicits different responses as well.     

无线数字家庭娱乐研究

对数字家庭及娱乐系统的内、外部网络进行了介绍,重点阐述了在数字家庭及娱乐无线化的过程中可采取的模式,提出了改进型无线家庭网关、3G家庭无线网关、嵌入式家庭无线网关3种家庭无线网关形式及其结构,为数字家庭及娱乐的无线化进程提供了思路和方法。     

Must-See TV or ESPN: Entertainment and Sports Media Exposure and Body-Image Distortion in College Women

Many studies offer clear evidence that exposure to TDP (thinness depicting and promoting) media leads to distorted body-image perceptions in school-age females and college women. This study investigated women's exposure to two types of media—entertainment and sports media—and looked for possible associations with body-image distortion and eating disorders. College women were surveyed in the fall of 2001 and asked to report exposure to 40 programs airing on prime-time networks and report exposure to specific men's and women's sports. Exposure to "thin-ideal" television was a significant predictor of four dimensions of disordered eating for women of all races. However, women's exposure to sports media was not a significant predictor of lower degrees of disordered eating.     

Exploring social and psychological factors that influence the gathering of political information online

Qualitative analysis of college students who searched online during the 2008 US presidential election contributes to three research areas: uses and gratifications, media credibility, and selective exposure. The findings identified new social factors that trigger motivations and psychological factors that affect patterns of media use for political information gathering. Word-of-mouth communication from strong, weak, and nonexistent social ties triggered social utility and information seeking motivations. Offline media contributed to online information seeking. Moderate credibility perceptions of media and weak party loyalty limited ideological selective exposure. Results add to research that links social and psychological factors to motivations and media use.     

新闻娱乐化的方向把握

在市场经济条件下,新闻娱乐化使其更富有市场竞争力,但相应地带来了新的问题。如何把握新闻娱乐化的定位和程度对于新闻娱乐化更好地融入受众视野起到了十分关键的作用。因此如何把握新闻娱乐化的尺度显得尤为重要。     

基于滤波方法提高精寻北阶段的寻北精度

为了解决摆式陀螺寻北仪在复杂环境下寻北精度不高的问题,在分析寻北过程各个阶段信号特点的基础上,将滤波方法引入精寻北阶段的陀螺信号处理中。该文使用最小均方算法(LMS)自适应滤波、滑动均值滤波、低通滤波及中值滤波对精寻北阶段陀螺信号进行处理,然后对滤波效果进行了分析比对,并进行了精度分析。结果表明,滤波处理后的精寻北阶段数据信号较之前更平滑,波动减小,有利于提高寻北结果的准确度,且经计算,滑动均值滤波的处理结果精度更高。使用滤波方法对陀螺信号进行处理,减小了信号的精度损失,提高了寻北结果的精度和可靠度,具有良好的工程实践性。     

Snapping and chatting away: Consumer motivations for and outcomes of interacting with Snapchat AR ad lens

Snapchat AR ad lens is one of the highly engaging and interactive ads among the plethora of social media advertising formats. Applying the uses and gratifications (U&G) theory and social media advertising engagement (SMAE) framework, two survey studies were conducted to enhance our understanding of consumers’ motivations for interacting with this unique Snapchat ad format and its subsequent effects. With the use of exploratory research, Study 1 uncovered consumers’ motivations to interact with the Snapchat AR ad lens: entertainment, aesthetics, uniqueness, curiosity, brand fan, and social interaction. Furthermore, Study 2 cemented consumers’ disclosed motivations as antecedents of attitudinal perceptions of the Snapchat AR ad lens and examined its resultant outcomes: ad engagement and purchase motivation. The results revealed that the majority of motivations had a positive effect on Snapchatters’ attitude toward the AR ad lens, which directly affected continuous ad engagement and indirectly affected purchase motivation through ad engagement. Theoretical and managerial implications are discussed for scholars and practitioners.     

INDAX: An Operational Interactive Cabletext System

INDAX is a local area home information system developed by Cox Cable Communications, Inc. for the delivery of videotex services to residential Customers. The large bandwidth provided by this medium allows integration of one-way (teletext) with two-way (videotext) transmissions into a cohesive delivery vehicle. As a data delivery mechanism, INDAX is well suited to many different types of servies. Among the earliest service offerings are generalized information retrieval and transaction services such as home banking and shopping. Implementation and traffic characteristics of these services are described in the following sections. In addition, INDAX supports interactive entertainment options such as opinion polling in conjunction with the standard entertainment programming. Status monitoring and control services such as security monitoring and energy management can also be delivered via INDAX. While the traffic model described is oriented towards a residential service, the modular system architecture readily supports differing traffic statistics by the addition of communications and processing modules.     

Why do people access news with mobile devices? Exploring the role of suitability perception and motives on mobile news use

Using self-reported survey data (N = 281), the present study explores the structural relationships among mobile users’ perceptions of the suitability of two types of mobile news (political feature news and entertainment news), users’ motivations for mobile news usage, and their behavioral patterns. Our findings show that two types of perceived suitability for mobile news, particularly for political feature news, are strongly associated with all dimensions of motivations for mobile news usage. Furthermore, as predicted, our findings show that the information-seeking motive is the very factor that determines mobile news usage. The results also reveal that the accessibility motive mediates the relationship between the perceived suitability of obtaining news via a mobile device and users’ mobile news behavior. However, contrary to our expectation, the social utility motive does not mediate the relationship between users’ perceptions of the suitability of mobile devices for this purpose and their mobile news usage. Finally, the information-seeking and accessibility motives each have an indirect effect on the association between perceived suitability and mobile news usage. The implications of the study and recommendations for future research are also discussed.     

Do people play MMORPGs for extrinsic or intrinsic rewards?

Several frameworks have been proposed to explain the motivations for playing Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games (MMORPG). However, no unified view as to whether people play MMORPGs for extrinsic or intrinsic rewards has been proposed in the existing literature. Thus, this study drew upon flow theory, Veblen’s Leisure Class theory, and Yee’s online gaming motivations framework to investigate the effects of extrinsic and intrinsic motivations on the gamer loyalty and gaming behaviors of Turkish MMORPG players. A path model was proposed to articulate the aforementioned relationships. The model showed that gamer loyalty could be predicted by status seeking (extrinsic motivation) and two facets of flow (merging of actions and awareness, and autotelic experience; intrinsic motivation). Furthermore, the game levels reached while playing MMORPGs were affected both by status seeking (extrinsic motivation) and high control of the game (intrinsic motivation). The results also demonstrated that participants with higher social motivation spent more of their daily time on MMORPGs, and players who reported higher levels of autotelic experience spent more money on MMORPGs.     

Electronic and Photonic Communications and Entertainment Delivery

Provides a basic outline of the history of electronic and photonic communications and entertainment delivery.