Movies | October 29, 2009 | 25 comments

Solitude contributes to a person's imagined intimacy with a TV character

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If your best friend is a guy from "The Office" or a young doctor on "Grey's Anatomy," you may be relying too much on TV shows to fill a social void in your life.

A new study from the University of Michigan says lonely people may use television characters to cope with solitude and to feel a sense of belonging.
The study examines how social and emotional tendencies—social inclusion needs and solitude experiences—are related to people's imagined intimacy with media characters and emotional connection with television programs.

"Media programs are, after all, inherently social and may offer individuals a soothing if temporary replacement for genuine social interaction," said Dara Greenwood, assistant professor of communications studies who co-authored the study with Christopher Long, an assistant professor of psychology at Ouachita Baptist University.

More than 300 participants completed a questionnaire that looked at how the need to belong and different experiences of solitude (such as inspiring self-discovery, diversionary activities, or loneliness) contributed to increased emotional connection to TV characters and programs.

Solitude was defined for participants as time spent alone—or, if in the presence of others, without any social interaction. Participants rated the frequency with which they experienced different types of solitude as well as the importance they placed on these experiences.

After participants identified a favorite character or personality and the show they are featured on, they responded to 15 items to determine what imagined friendship and affinity for a media persona. Items include "My favorite TV personality seems to understand the things I know," and "My favorite TV personality keeps me company when his or her program is on television."

Results showed that increased affiliation needs (e.g., "I try hard not to do things that will make other people avoid or reject me") and lonely solitude experiences predicted increased emotional involvement with media characters. Engaging more intensely with media may be one way that individuals with unmet intimacy goals cope with loneliness, the research indicated.

Solitude experienced as self-discovery also predicted increased involvement with TV characters and programs.

"This underscores the emotional versatility of entertainment media and suggests that the alternative realities of movies or television programs may provide opportunities for imaginative and emotional processing that facilitate personal growth," she said.

This study found that, not surprisingly, the most popular characters were drawn from successful TV programs like "Grey's Anatomy" and "The Office." Most participants (218 people) selected fictional characters; the next most frequently chosen characters were real people, such as Oprah, reality show participants, and Jon Stewart (53 people); followed by cartoon characters (20 people).

"However, there may be a downside to this kind of attachment if the viewer in question idealizes the character and consequently holds her or himself up to unrealistic standards of physical attractiveness, romantic, or professional success," said Greenwood, whose research focuses on emotional well-being and media involvement and on young women's media affinities and self/body image.

Future research will continue investigating the conditions under which media involvement may be more or less beneficial to emotional well-being over the short and long term.

http://www.physorg.com/news175970817.html
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25 comments // Solitude contributes to a person's imagined intimacy with a TV character

  • CreatioExNihil
    • 0
      CreatioExNihil  

    • I am the exact type of person who gets really involved with fictional characters. It's easy to when you have little in common with real people and/or are unable to find anyone to really interact with i real life.

    • 2 years ago
  • royulery
  • getbacker1221
  • remanns
  • sugarlilly
  • spacemikey
    • 0
      spacemikey [removed]  

    • For the record I'm usually talking to my friend "Wilson" not some damn glowing box, no wait I'm staring and talking to a glowing box right now... Unfortunately this glowing box doesn't belong to my super hot girlfriend. I'm so depressed now.

      I blame technology, idk it's sad people don't even want to go out anymore. Public places that were full of people 15 years ago have been all but abandoned. Between T.V. and the internet, people don't have a need for real people anymore. It really is sad; on the one hand valuable resources, but on the other there is a disconnect psychologically between people and the online or T.V. friends, and I'm certain it carries over into real relationships.

      Seems like people are twice as likely to treat each other like utter dog-shit, because they have the safety and comfort of running back to there glowing box. And they're far to busy with their virtual friends to care about their real ones.

      NO I'm not saying that's everyone, but I know quite a few people like that....

      So when that emotionally disconnected postal worker takes out half his co-workers and 3 cops before he's stopped (AGAIN).

      Don't even wonder why.

    • 2 years ago
  • atainder
  • artemis6
  • remanns
  • FishaHouse777
    • 0
      FishaHouse777  

    • Psychology 101, if someone is isolated or lack contact with people their instinctual social habits will conform to other things. Wether it's a person on TV (like in cable guy with JimCarrey) or a pet (like those old ladies with 10 cats). People need to be social instinctually so it's only natural for them to connect with things other then humans. Even spiritual people, they don't connect with people but they are very social in their minds and with God.

    • 2 years ago
  • think_free
    • 0
      think_free  

    • "You were never there for me were you mother? You expected Mike and Carol Brady to raise me! I'm the bastard son of Claire Huxtable! I am a Lost Cunningham! I learned the facts of life from watching The Facts of Life! Oh God!"

    • 2 years ago
  • NuclearLullaby
    • 0
      NuclearLullaby  

    • Congrats,you have discovered one of the things that MIGHT cause human stupidity! TV's good if used right! There are so many pointless nonsense shows these days! this study was conducted in the '80's or '90's at least that's when I last heard about this stuff!

    • 2 years ago
  • yipyep
  • dc133
  • tangibleparadox
    • 0
      tangibleparadox  
    • dc133:

      i've known people who never had very good people skills, and thus immersed themselves in TV/gaming/etc... and it only got worse for some of them who remained immersed instead of reaching out to people...

    • 2 years ago
  • Kamilo
  • LegendaryHater
    • 0
      LegendaryHater  

    • Is it just me, or does it seem like a number of studies being released or whatever lately gave us information that we already knew? I was listening to "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me" on NPR over the weekend and they said some group out of Britain released something telling us why we cry during sad movies.

      I mean, really?

    • 2 years ago
  • stonefree87
  • current_nando
  • flyingkick
    • 0
      flyingkick  

    • ya, pretty obvious. I think that's more or less what TV was designed for.

      ". . .there may be a downside to this kind of attachment. . ."
      LOL

    • 2 years ago
  • MeganAlexis
    • 0
      MeganAlexis  

    • oh there is definite truth in this for myself. Since I moved away for college in a new city, all my friends are at different colleges and now I distract myself from my loneliness with shows like Glee, Greek, Gossip Girl, and Grey's Anatomy.

      They're my new best friends and we hang out every Mon, Wed, and Thurs.

    • 2 years ago
  • Paula_Porter
    • 0
      Paula_Porter  

    • no! really? i never would've guessed! can we actually do research on something prevalent and less obvious please! talk about a waste time and resources!

    • 2 years ago
  • CreatioExNihil
  • lvk104
  • pjacobs51
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