Entertainment‐Education (Effects)

Abstract

Entertainment‐education (EE) was first defined as a health communication strategy that used media designed to increase individual knowledge, change attitudes, and shift behavior. Early EE programs focused on family planning and other health issues and utilized a long‐running narrative format on radio and television. Early EE effects research focused on individual‐level data and outcomes, such as knowledge and behavior, to understand if EE worked. Over time, the definition of EE has evolved to reflect a changing global media landscape and new and emerging health priorities. Additionally, EE effects research has progressed to align with contemporary theories of individual and social change and more advanced social science research methodologies. The social ecological model (SEM) posits that multifaceted personal and environmental factors interact to influence an individual's behavior. EE effects research now considers factors across levels of the SEM, including individual‐level, interpersonal‐level, and community‐level outcomes. Four exemplary EE programs illustrate effects across the SEM: (i) Twende na Wakati ( Let's Go with the Times ; a radio program focused on HIV/AIDS from Tanzania; (ii) Kyunki … Jeena Issi Ka Naam Hai ( Because … That's What Life Is ; a television program focused on maternal and child health from India); (iii) Soul City (a multimedia program focused on gender‐based violence and HIV/AIDS in South Africa); and (iv) East Los High (a transmedia program focused on teen pregnancy and other topics in the United States). Future EE research will require creative research design and advanced tools for measuring effects across multiple levels of the SEM, across different media platforms, using state‐of‐the‐art tools and mixed methods, for emerging and urgent health crises, and to demonstrate change over time.

Storytelling as a Catalyst for Climate Change Communication and Empowerment

“…The art and science of storytelling in recent decades have taught us that, when told well, stories are powerful. They can not only change people's minds and actions but also fight social ills and save millions of lives (e.g., Green et al, 2002;Kreuter et al, 2007;Riley et al, 2022;Singhal & Rogers, 1999;Singhal et al, 2013). This might just be the secret to the survival of the human species and all life on Earth.…”

“…In the span of over 50 years, the idea of intentionally combining entertainment with education for health promotion and behavior change, known as entertainmenteducation or edutainment, has evolved into a field of research and practice around the globe, making a significant impact at the individual, interpersonal, community, and societal levels (Frank & Falzone, 2021;Riley et al, 2022;Singhal et al, 2013;Storey & Sood, 2013;Wang & Singhal, 2021a). In its early years, from the 1970s to the early 2000s, practitioners mainly worked with government agencies, nongovernmental organizations, and creative professionals in developing countries to create prosocial radio and television serial dramas (Singhal et al, 2004;Singhal & Rogers, 1999).…”

What We Need Now to Accelerate Climate Solutions through Storytelling

“…Research in neuroscience, social sciences, and humanities has shown that information presented in a narrative format is easier to attract and sustain attention and creates shortcuts to facilitate comprehension and recall because it is more accessible and engaging (Gottschall, 2012;Polkinghorne, 1988;Schneider-Mayerson et al, 2023). Powerful stories can change people's knowledge, attitudes, practices, and social norms (Bálint & Bilandzic, 2017;Bilandzic & Kinnebrock, 2009;Green et al, 2002;Murphy et al, 2015;Riley et al, 2022;Singhal & Rogers, 1999;Singhal et al, 2013). We rely on storytelling to organize information, generate meaning, and make sense of ourselves in the world and how we are related to each other (Gottschall, 2012;Polkinghorne, 1988).…”

“…Decades of research (e.g., Green et al, 2002Green et al, , 2019Frank & Falzone, 2021;Riley et al, 2022;Singhal et al, 2004Singhal et al, , 2013Singhal & Rogers, 1999;Storey & Sood, 2013) have shown that:…”