Skip to main content
Search
Search
    Quick Search anywhere
    Quick search in Citations
Advanced Search
Skip main navigationClose Drawer MenuOpen Drawer Menu
Previous article
Next article
Research Report

Effects of Light-Hearted and Serious Entertainment on Enjoyment of the First and Third Person

Published Online:June 29, 2015https://doi.org/10.1027/1864-1105/a000150

Abstract

Abstract. This was a study on the perceived enjoyment of different movie genres. In an online experiment, 176 students were randomly divided into two groups (n = 88) and asked to estimate how much they, their closest friends, and young people in general enjoyed either serious or light-hearted movies. These self–other differences in perceived enjoyment of serious or light-hearted movies were also assessed as a function of differing individual motivations underlying entertainment media consumption. The results showed a clear third-person effect for light-hearted movies and a first-person effect for serious movies. The third-person effect for light-hearted movies was moderated by level of hedonic motivation, as participants with high hedonic motivations did not perceive their own and others’ enjoyment of light-hearted films differently. However, eudaimonic motivations did not moderate first-person perceptions in the case of serious films.

References

  • Baruh, L. (2010). Mediated voyeurism and the guilty pleasure of consuming reality television. Media Psychology, 13, 201–221. doi: 10.1080/15213269.2010.502871 First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Davison, W. P. (1983). The third-person effect in communication. Public Opinion Quarterly, 47(1), 1–15. doi: 10.1086/268763 First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Gottdiener, M. (1985). Hegemony and mass culture: A semiotic approach. American Journal of Sociology, 90, 979. doi: 10.1086/228173 First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Gunther, A. C. & Mundy, P. (1993). Biased optimism and the third-person effect. Journalism Quarterly, 70, 58–67. doi: 10.1177/107769909307000107 First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Hall, A. (2007). The social implications of enjoyment of different types of music, movies, and television programming. Western Journal of Communication, 71, 259–271. doi: 10.1080/10570310701653794 First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Hoffner, C., Plotkin, R. S., Buchanan, M., Anderson, J. D., Kamigaki, S. K., Hubbs, L. A., … Pastorek, A. (2001). The third-person effect in perceptions of the influence of television violence. Journal of Communication, 51, 283–299. doi: 10.1111/j.1460-2466.2001.tb02881.x First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Kim, K. & Oliver, M. B. (2012, May). Third-person perceptions and different movie genres, Paper presented at the International Communication Association, Boston, MA First citation in articleGoogle Scholar

  • Lee, B. & Tamborini, R. (2005). Third-person effect and internet pornography: The influence of collectivism and internet self-efficacy. Journal of Communication, 55, 292–310. doi: 10.1111/j.1460-2466.2005.tb02673.x First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Leone, R., Peek, W. C. & Bissell, K. L. (2006). Reality television and third-person perception. Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, 50, 253–269. doi: 10.1207/s15506878jobem5002_5 First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • McLeod, D. M., Eveland, W. P. & Nathanson, A. I. (1997). Support for censorship of violent and misogynic rap lyrics: An analysis of the third-person effect. Communication Research, 24, 153–174. doi: 10.1177/009365097024002003 First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Meirick, P. C. (2005). Rethinking the target corollary: The effects of social distance, perceived exposure, and perceived predispositions on first-person and third-person perceptions. Communication Research, 32, 822–843. doi: 10.1177/0093650205281059 First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Oliver, M. B. & Bartsch, A. (2010). Appreciation as audience response: Exploring entertainment gratifications beyond hedonism. Human Communication Research, 36, 53–81. doi: 10.1111/j.1468-2958.2009.01368.x First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Oliver, M. B. & Bartsch, A. (2011). Appreciation of entertainment: The importance of meaningfulness via virtue and wisdom. Journal of Media Psychology, 23, 29–33. doi: 10.1027/1864-1105/a000029 First citation in articleLink, Google Scholar

  • Oliver, M. B., Hartmann, T. & Woolley, J. K. (2012). Elevation in response to entertainment portrayals of moral virtue. Human Communication Research, 38, 360–378. doi: 10.1111/j.1468-2958.2012.01427.x First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Oliver, M. B. & Raney, A. A. (2011). Entertainment as pleasurable and meaningful: Identifying hedonic and eudaimonic motivations for entertainment consumption. Journal of Communication, 61, 984–1004. doi: 10.1111/j.1460-2466.2011.01585.x First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Peiser, W. & Peter, J. (2000). Third-person perception of television-viewing behavior. Journal of Communication, 50, 25–45. doi: 10.1111/j.1460-2466.2000.tb02832.x First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Reinecke, L., Tamborini, R., Grizzard, M., Lewis, R., Eden, A. & David Bowman, N. (2012). Characterizing mood management as need satisfaction: The effects of intrinsic needs on selective exposure and mood repair. Journal of Communication, 62, 437–453. doi: 10.1111/j.1460-2466.2012.01649.x First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Salwen, M. B. & Dupagne, M. (2001). Third-person perception of television violence: The role of self-perceived knowledge. Media Psychology, 3, 211–236. doi: 10.1207/S1532785XMEP0303_01 First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Tal-Or, N. & Drukman, D. (2010). Third-person perception as an impression management tactic. Media Psychology, 13, 301–322. doi: 10.1080/15213269.2010.503516 First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Tal-Or, N., Tsfati, Y. & Gunther, A. C. (2009). The influence of presumed media influence: Origins and implications of the third-person perception. In R. L. NabiM. B. OliverEds., The Sage handbook of media processes and effects (pp. 99–112). Los Angeles, CA: Sage. First citation in articleGoogle Scholar

  • Tamborini, R., Bowman, N. D., Eden, A., Grizzard, M. & Organ, A. (2010). Defining media enjoyment as the satisfaction of intrinsic needs. Journal of Communication, 60(4), 758–777. doi: 10.1111/j.1460-2466.2010.01513.x First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Wirth, W., Hofer, M. & Schramm, H. (2012). Beyond pleasure: Exploring the eudaimonic entertainment experience. Human Communication Research, 38, 406–428. doi: 10.1111/j.1468-2958.2012.01434.x First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Zillmann, D. (1988). Mood management through communication choices. American Behavioral Scientist, 31, 327–340. doi: 10.1177/000276488031003005 First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar