Guilt and media use
Reinecke L, Meier A (2020)
Publication Language: English
Publication Type: Book chapter / Article in edited volumes
Publication year: 2020
Publisher: Wiley
Edited Volumes: The International Encyclopedia of Media Psychology
Pages Range: 1-5
ISBN: 9781119011071
DOI: 10.1002/9781119011071.iemp0183
Abstract
Media use is often referred to as a “guilty pleasure.” In fact, a growing number of studies provide empirical evidence of a high prevalence of guilt reactions to media use. Negative self‐conscious emotions such as guilt are elicited by actions or events that are incongruent with the individual's personal standards or identity goals. In the context of media use, guilt reactions can be triggered by perceived incongruence with personal standards on three different levels of evaluation: (i) Media users may perceive that specific media content (e.g., pornography or graphic violence) conflicts with personal or external standards. (ii) Guilt can also be the result of user actions performed within interactive media (e.g., immoral behavior in a computer game or on social media). (iii) Finally, guilt may also be triggered by negative appraisal of media use as an activity per se. This is particularly likely if media use is perceived as meaningless or if it conflicts with other situational goals and obligations. Extant research has linked guilt reactions to decreased media enjoyment and media‐induced recovery as well as impaired situational well‐being.
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Germany (DE)How to cite
APA:
Reinecke, L., & Meier, A. (2020). Guilt and media use. In J. Van den Bulck, D. R. Ewoldsen, M.-L. Mares, & E. Scharrer (Eds.), The International Encyclopedia of Media Psychology. (pp. 1-5). Wiley.
MLA:
Reinecke, Leonard, and Adrian Meier. "Guilt and media use." The International Encyclopedia of Media Psychology. Ed. J. Van den Bulck, D. R. Ewoldsen, M.-L. Mares, & E. Scharrer, Wiley, 2020. 1-5.
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