Does Misery Love Company? Exploring the Therapeutic Effects of TV Viewing on Regretted Experiences

Abstract

Testing hypotheses derived from regret and mood management theories, this research explores how regretted experiences impact interest in viewing experience-relevant TV programming and such viewing's effects on program enjoyment and felt regret. One hundred and forty-four participants, half of whom had been unfaithful in romantic relationships, were asked first to rate their interest in viewing a series of storylines and then to provide their reactions to 1 of 2 versions of a TV program depicting cheating behavior. Largely consistent with hypotheses, results indicated that those who had both cheated and felt regret about their behavior were more likely than others to want to watch experience-related storylines, were no less likely to enjoy watching such programming, and particularly preferred viewing the program version in which the main character rationalized, rather than expressed regret for, her behavior. Both program versions, however, reduced regret equally. A survey of 206 city residents also offered evidence consistent with predictions based on regret theory. Overall, this research speaks to the value of integrating theories of emotion with media theory to enhance the latter's predictive ability.

Entertainment as a Creature Comfort: Self-Control and Selection of Challenging Media

“…Nonchallenging media may aid emotion-focused coping but also avoidant coping strategies (Knobloch-Westerwick et al, 2009). Conversely, affectively challenging media may offer the opportunity to alter existing dysfunctional emotions (such as regret) via observing successful coping strategies in others (Nabi et al, 2006). Although beyond the scope of this work, media-as-coping under high and low self-regulatory capacity conditions offers an interesting perspective for media as personal growth research.…”

“…Future research should test not only selective exposure and immediate responses to recreational and challenging media, but also the long-term effects of selective media repertoires on personal growth and well-being. For example, media have been suggested to aid in coping strategies (Knobloch-Westerwick et al, 2009;Nabi et al, 2006). The selection of affective and cognitive challenge might well map onto the distinction between emotion-focused and problem-focused coping strategies (Lazarus & Folkman, 1984).…”

“…However, self-regulation depletion and restoration is not driven by specific affective states, although it may be weakly associated with either negative states or low arousal (Hagger, Wood, Stiff, & Chatzisarantis, 2010). Indeed, MMT has been criticized for focusing on short-term hedonic regulation, particularly in terms of failing to explain the desire to watch tearjerkers or horror films (Knobloch-Westerwick, 2015), or its inability to explain counterhedonistic media choices (Oliver, 2003;Nabi, Finnerty, Domschke, & Hull, 2006). Although this has been addressed in terms of long-term perspectives of MMT (see Zillmann, 2000, discussion of telic hedonism), we believe our perspective may be more applicable in understanding why and when people will select affectively aversive content, based on the combination of self-regulatory resources available to the user, and self-regulation required by the content.…”

Negative Emotion in Music: What is the Attraction? A Qualitative Study

“…In general this would mean that individuals will choose music that brings them pleasure, or that expresses positive and uplifting emotions. At other times, long-term benefits may override immediate hedonistic desires, e.g., in order to deal with certain negative emotions such as regret (Nabi et al, 2006).…”

Exploring the Role of Meaningful Experiences in Users' Appreciation of “Good Movies”

“…In this regard, scholars have considered a variety of potential explanations, including the idea that sad content may be gratifying because it provides the opportunity to enact empathy (Mills 1993), is ultimately cathartic (Cornelius 1997), allows viewers to enhance feelings of self-worth via comparison with others in more tragic situations (Mares and Cantor 1992), or helps individuals to cope with their problems (Grodal 2007;Nabi et al 2006;Zillmann 2000). Most of these explanations point to the idea that viewers retrieve something from sad movies that may not make the actual exposure a joyful experience, but that seems to be important and helpful in the long run.…”