Week 1

Question 1

media entertainment

Answer 1

media content designed to be consumed for purposes of leisure (rather than specifically for information gain, learning of persuasion)
it’s dependent from device, has positive and negative emotions and is an enjoyable experience

Question 2

escapism

Answer 2

people are deprived and alienated, it is suggested, and so they turn to the dreamlike world of the mass media for substitute gratifications, the consequence of which is still further withdrawal from the arena of social and political action

Question 3

uses and gratification theory

Answer 3

needs –> expectation –> effects –> fulfilling the need (doesn’t need to happen)

1. cognitive needs (need for info, curiosity)
2. affective needs (stress release, mood management)
3. social-interaction needs (social contact)
4. integrative-habitual needs (regularity)

Question 4

Assumptions U&G

Answer 4

1. media selection is goal-oriented/motivated
2. people are active and select media that fulfill their needs
3. media compete with functional alternatives to satisfy a need
4. people are more influential than media is
5. gratifications obtained don’t always match the gratifications sought
6. people are aware of their media selection decisions

Question 5

3 dimensions of mood

Answer 5

• Valence: pleasantness, ranging from negative to
  positive, slightly positive is preferred
• Arousal: intensity, ranging from low (e.g. boredom) to
  high (e.g. stress), moderate arousal is preferred
  • Semantic affinity: meaning, connotation

Question 6

mood regulation

Answer 6

behavior aiming at altering the existing mood

Question 7

mood optimalization

Answer 7

maintain a balanced mood by seeking positivity and avoiding negative

Question 8

four key properties of mood management theory

Answer 8

1. Excitatory potential (low vs. high arousal)
2. Hedonic valence (positive vs. negative valence)
3. Absorption potential (low vs. high, the extend to which the message captures and distracts attention and emotion
4. Semantic affinity (low vs. high relevance for the actual mood/situation)

Question 9

mood adjustement theory

Answer 9

a positive mood isn’t desirable if goals are served by a negative mood (people want to be exposed to mediated messages matching and maintaining their mood)