Television consumption and empathy: A connection?

No longer are village elders and literature the only sources of stories that compel consumers to become emotionally and cognitively involved with fictional characters. Rather, technologies such as television, Netflix, and digital video recording allow media consumers to not only become involved with mediated characters, but even feel empathy with them. Coupled with a media-heavy culture, submersing oneself in emotion-inducing narratives may bode well for consumers’ entertainment. However, constant connections to characters may inhibit viewers’ empathic capabilities toward other human beings by way of desensitization. This study examined television consumption as a predictor of empathy in 491 college students at a midsized Midwestern university. Findings suggested that television use does not directly impact empathy. However, increased consumption of crime dramas, situational comedies, and overall television predicted higher desensitization to violent and emotional portrayals, and increased desensitization predicted lower empathy. In addition, men were more desensitized and less empathic than women. By exploring desensitization to nonviolent content, these findings expand upon prior desensitization research which only focused on violence. Limitations to the study are acknowledged, and implications are discussed in terms of attempting to better understand how the increasing time viewers spend immersed in their mediated worlds may impact their real worlds.

Name thesis:degree_name

MA

Level thesis:degree_level

masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

College of Communication and Information / School of Communication Studies

Grantor dc:publisher

Kent State University

Year dc:date

2013

Author dc:creator

• Hahn, Lindsay S.

Contributors dc:contributor

• McCullough, Jennifer

• Communication
• television
• empathy
• desensitization
• callousness
• cultivation theory

Statement dc:rights

• unrestricted
• This thesis or dissertation is protected by copyright: all rights reserved. It may not be copied or redistributed beyond the terms of applicable copyright laws.

Language dc:language

English

Repository record dc:identifier

http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1365508327

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:etd.ohiolink.edu:kent1365508327