In media research a question that is consistently asked is, why do we use media? There are a multitude of media forms that people make use of, and thus a multitude of theories about why we use those media. It has been hypothesized that people turn to the movies and television often to assist in the expression of an emotion, or to improve their mood. Baran and Davis refer to this type of media use understanding as mood management theory. Baran and Davis state that the theory, “argues that a predominant motivation for using entertainment media is to moderate or control our moods” (Baran and Davis 271). People seek out media that will act as a catharsis for the mood they want to express. When audiences want to laugh they will see a comedy, when they want excitement they could watch action or thrillers. An individual could have the desire to express an emotion, and after viewing a television show or film that helps to bring about this emotion, the viewer leaves feeling content, and thus an improved mood. Could it really be this simple?
This theory is frequently used to explain why audiences go to sad movies. It is hypothesized that the viewer is feeling upset or sad, and needs something to help them find a way to express that emotion. Watching a sad movie acts as the catharsis for the individual. As they release the emotion because of what they feel as they watch the film, they also release the emotion from what was making them feel sad before. The viewer then leaves with a better mood because of the release of emotions.
An article from CNN titled, “Obsessions: Crying at the Movies” supports this theory, but adds some stipulations. According to the article, the film itself does not always make the viewer feel better; it is the act of watching a sad movie that more importantly assists in the expression of emotions. The article states, “While movies might not actually make viewers feel better, they do allow us to experience strong emotions in safe places” (Goldberg). In this case it is not that the content of the film is necessarily causing the viewer to be sad, but it is providing a place for the viewer to feel and express an emotion they already had. This could extend further to any type of film and the emotion and mood that result. Do you agree? When you watch a film, is it the only the content that affects your emotions, or does is the film watching setting that allows you to express emotions you already had before the experience?
It is movies and films that are written well that are best able to help their viewers express an emotion. The article further states:
Good writers and producers know how to arrange the elements of the film
to hold you in a non-critical experience state where you are engaged with
the main character, and that character's experience…
Done well, you experience the main character's emotions
along with her” (Goldberg).
Good films and television shows allow the viewer to feel how the characters feel, so that the media can be fully interpreted. In many cases the individual viewers will be able to identify with a character from a film or television show. Identification with the character is what leads viewers to become fans. The emotions they feel as they watch a film or television show tie the viewer to it. This can be a good thing until viewing the media becomes the only place for a fan to express certain emotions, or develop a certain mood. When this happens, the line between reality and fictionalized reality is blurred by the fan, and he or she could become obsessive.
In “Fandom as Pathology” Joli Jensen details how obsessive fan behavior comes about. She states, “Fandom is conceived of as a chronic attempt to compensate for a perceived personal lack of autonomy, absence of community, incomplete identity, lack of power, and lack of recognition” (Jensen 17). There could be something lacking in a viewer’s life, which does not allow them to express an emotion, or feel a particular way without viewing the media they are a fan of.
The is a relationship between viewing media, emotions, mood, and fandom. But, there are questions we need to think about when contemplating the relationship between mood management theory and fandom. Is using the media as an outlet for the expression of emotions a positive or negative use of the media? Could identifying emotions through viewing media lead the viewer to only be able to identify their emotions when viewing that media? Furthermore, could managing our emotions and moods through media consumption lead to obsessive fan behavior?
Work Cited
Baran, Stanley J. and Dennis K. Davis, eds. Mass Communication Theory: Foundations, Ferment and Future, 6th ed. (Boston: Wadsworth Cengage Learning, 2012). Print.
Jensen, Joli. "Fandom as Pathology: the Consequences of Characterization." McQuail's Reader in Mass Communication Theory. Ed. Denis McQuail. Thousand Oaks: SAGE Publications, 2002. 9-23.
Personally, using media as an outlet for the expression of any type of emotion can be both good and bad in normative doses, as with anything in life. In the Baran and Davis chapter on audience theories, Knoblach-Westerwick discusses four types of media content attributes which coincide with the mood management theory,; In brief, they are “the ability of content to arouse or calm emotion – to get us excited or to reduce our stress… the ability of content to direct our thoughts away from things that induce a negative mood and toward other things that induce positive feelings…the degree to which entertaining content involves things that are similar to the things that are inducing a bad mood… and the potential that content has to induce positive feelings” (257). After reading this it peaked my curiosity that if media is created in a way to have audiences feel these specific ways, is it such a terrible thing?
ReplyDeleteAs an answer to that, I feel that media can serve as a temporary fix to any small emotion problems that one may have going on. For instance, if you are stressed after a long day at work, or got in a silly argument that is weighing heavily on you – it seems rather natural to turn to one’s favorite comedic television show or movie as a means of getting his or her mind off of it. In regard to someone watching a sad movie when they are feeling down, it could easily just be a coping mechanism. Being able to cry when your favorite character is releasing their sadness as well is a comfort and a small indulgence in exploring one’s own emotions.
This all links with the article that Natalie looked at about people crying in the movies. Goldberg references the movie theater as a safe place to cry, which is more important than the actual content of the film that is being shown. However, I feel that it is the content of the movie that I am watching. If I go to the movies feeling sad already there is definitely a hypersensitivity that I have in regard to the content of the film. This also has much to do with the quality of acting and believability of the scenes. I don’t go to the theater just to let out a good cry, but subconsciously maybe that is the case? I’ll let Freud figure that one out… Regardless, it is my belief that media does in fact help aid in an emotional release whether we need a good laugh or a good cry. Additionally to this, most times we just go see a movie or watch television simply because we want to, not because there is an underlying emotional connection we feel toward it. For instance, (yes I am going to talk Hunger Games here) when I went to see The Hunger Games, I had read all three books and was just excited to see the characters come to life on the big screen. I did not cry while reading the book nearly as much as I did during the movie – and no, I was not have a bad day, didn’t just fight with a friend, etc. The actors just had the ability to grasp my full attention and convey their emotions powerfully enough that I felt that I was right there with them. I’d like to chalk that up to good acting rather than my emotionally instability.
Like, Natalie discusses, managing emotions and moods through media consumption may potentially lead to obsessive fan behavior. The more I think about it, that is likely to be true. Jensen’s description of a being a fan by her own standards is one that seems perfectly healthy. She asks and answers questions like, “Am I, then a fan of Patsy Cline, William Morris, William James, John Dewey, and Lewis Mumford? Yes, of course I am, if fandom is defined as an interest in, and an attachment to, a particular figure or form” (351). To this point, it is normal to be interested in and admire people in the ways, which she describes. However, when Jensen talks about an obsessive fan according to pathology theory is defining oneself in a way that someone is “psychologically incomplete, trying to compensate for [his or her] inadequate life through the reflected glory of these figures and forms” (352). If one relies on media outlets so much so that they use the latter definition of fandom, then there is a problem. Being an obsessed fan is risky behavior because one’s emotional stability is rooted in a celebrity or a team, or character rather than in the roots of their own reality.
ReplyDeleteNatalie, you brought up the Goldberg article on watching sad movies, where you state “it is not that the content of the film is necessarily causing the viewer to be sad, but it is providing a place for the viewer to feel and express and emotion they already had.” I absolutely agree with this, and I have never actually looked at it that way before. It makes complete sense. Extreme emotions, specifically those of sadness, grieve, and mourn, are not commonly expressed in public; they are usually bottled up inside of us to deal with on our own, or with close loved ones. However, sad movies are often relatable to the audience because it allows a creative and fictional outlet to express such emotions, where it becomes acceptable for a temporary time to experience emotions in a safe, yet public place.
ReplyDeleteWhen I watch sad movies, I know about what emotions I will suddenly feel throughout the movie. Sometimes I’m in the mood to cry, and sometimes I feel the emotions but on a more minimal scale. When I am in the mood to cry, I know all I have to do is watch The Blindside or A Walk to Remember (guilty pleasure), and the emotions will follow. But I can’t automatically cry or feel such extreme emotions if I am not in the right mindset, so it’s really affected by my mood rather than the film. The setting is definitely more important than the content.
Furthermore, identifying with the characters definitely is a crucial factor for viewers to become fans. It’s very easy to relate to a character if the situations are similar or parallel to one’s personal life. We are able to grow with these characters, as we find meaning on how to cope with such situations from how our favorite characters do so. The media definitely becomes a primary place for a fan to express certain moods. Media allows us to know that we are not alone, and there are others to cope with, either fictional or real.
Baran and Davis suggest that mood management theory allows us to use media to help us cope with problems in our lives, problems that regularly influence bad moods. We use what we have learned from the media in the past to cope with problems in our present. However, mood management theory has a loophole, where it is difficult and necessary to differentiate between moods that last over time and moods that are temporarily induced changes in feelings. Media content may only alter our mood for a short period of time, or we use media to manage our long-term moods with a short-term fix. (Baran and Davis 273)
However, the identification aspect of audience activity could have underlying consequences, as seen in the romance genre. According to Janice Radway, “the romance inadvertently tells its reader that she will receive the kind of care she desires only if she can find a man who is already tender and nurturant... The reader is not shown how to find a nurturant man….but what she is encouraged to do is to latch on to whatever expressions of thoughtfulness he might display, no matter how few, and to consider them, rather than his more obvious and frequent disinterest, as evidence of his true character.” Romance genres gives a surreal perspective on romances, and heroes and heroines, as it fulfills desires and satisfies a woman’s fantasy based off of her psychological construction. It teaches women how to trust and love a man even when he has not done anything to earn such devotion, just so we, as women, can believe that we have found a man to protect us.
I completely agree with Rebecca and the article that Natalie quoted. Emotions are a complex part of being a human and because there are so many of them its very hard to understand them. Like Rebecca said there are extreme emotions that are much to private to be displayed in public so we hide them until we are ready to deal with them. However, although I agree with the whole idea that sad movies help the audience express their feelings of sadness or a need to cry, I however feel that sadness isn’t always associated with sad movies. If I am feeling sad and if I decide to make the time to deal with it I most of the time will watch a comedy (dramatic/romantic), action packed or sometimes an animated film. I very rarely watch the sad movies because personally they only make me feel worse and even more depressed. So I try to avoid it if I want to be able to get out of my sad/depressed mood.
ReplyDeleteEmotions are a complex part of life and media influences our feelings more then we would have ever thought they would and that’s because we can relate to them and the characters and the setting, which as Rebecca said is very important because that helps dictate how the movie will play out because of where it takes place. I use movies (music mostly) to help with my moods because it is an outlet for me.
Fans do the same thing they find characters they identify with and grow with the characters because they see them as understanding what they are going through and they give the fans a way to cope with what is going on in their personal experiences. Media gives audiences that feeling of comfort and takes away that feeling of being alone in the world. The world brings good moods and bad moods, so if the media helps to cope and express the emotions related to those moods is a good thing.
However, there are problems that do arise from being a fan and building a relationship with the characters because if that person finds solace only in relating to fictional characters and deletes their real life social relationships with others trouble can happen. There is a huge difference between a rational usage of media to help cope and express what otherwise is hard to express and building a whole identification and relationship to the fictional characters, which is an irrational expression.
In Joli Jensen, Fandom as Pathology, she states,
To summarize, there is very little literature that explores fandom as a normal, everyday culture or social phenomenon. Instead, the fan is characterized as (at least potentially) an obsessed loner, suffering from a disease of isolation, or a frenzied crowd member, suffering from a disease of contagion. In either case, the fan is seen ass being irrational, out of control, and prey to a number of external forces. The influence of the media, a narcissistic society, hypnotic rock music, and crowd contagion are invoked to explain how fans become victims of their fandom, and so act in deviant and destructive ways. (Jensen 345).
Although, this is known to happen with the obsessed fan however like she states that there is no real literature exploring the normal everyday side of fandom. We are all fans of something and we use it to help with our emotions and finding solace in some form because the characters, genre, or time period of a film will help us in dealing with the emotions. Like I stated emotions aren’t something I enjoy dealing with I like to avoid and ignore but sometimes I need help in crying so I will watch some form of an “emo” movie to bring about the tears and I find myself feeling better. Media can prey upon those with issues and strong needs for identification which turns dangerous but others find it the escape necessary for that moment and finds characters who “can feel the feelings I do so they understand me.” The problem lies in the ability to differentiate between fantasy and reality.
According to Baran and Davis, the mood management theory “claims that individuals seek out media content that they expect to improve their mood” (p 271). I agree with this because I know that there have been times where I want to watch a comedy so that I can laugh, or listen to a certain song because it can make me feel better. But I also agree that media can only temporarily improve our moods, and if there is a real problem media is only a distraction from that. That is why I agree with the article Natalie used saying that media is a good source for letting out emotions. The Goldberg article argues that it is not always the media content itself that makes the viewers mood change, but the actual act of letting out emotions. For instance, movies that are sad do not always end on the best note, and can sometimes even leave your more depressed. But the use of the film as an emotional outlet can make you temporarily feel better because of the release of emotions.
ReplyDeleteMovie makers though have figured out ways to evoke the emotion out of you and like Goldberg pointed out, the writers can use techniques to make you feel a certain way. The writers of the films and TV shows can actually tell you how to feel based on how they write and direct a scene. This helps the audience to identify with the character’s thoughts and feelings, which will most likely result in an emotional attachment to them. This reminded me of an article I read about Adele’s song ‘Someone Like You’. We all know Adele for having these emotional songs that basically every girl can identify with emotionally. But this song in particular has had such a strong emotional reaction that girls actually listen to it to cry to (and you know it’s an issue when SNL is makes a skit about it). According to this article in the Wall Street Journal, this song actually has a certain element called appoggiaturas that makes you want to cry. The article states that, “When several appoggiaturas occur next to each other in a melody, it generates a cycle of tension and release. This provokes an even stronger reaction, and that is when the tears start to flow” (Doucleff). Being able to emotionally respond to this song helps girls express their emotions, which can improve their mood.
But like Natalie stated, being able to identify emotionally with media relates to fandom. Like Jensen pointed out in her article, “fandom involves an ascription of excess, and emotional display” (p 350). I honestly do not think you can be a fan of something or someone if you are not emotionally involved. So when you identify emotionally with a song, TV show, or movie you become a fan of it. But Jensen warns that becoming too emotionally involved in something can “lead to a dangerous blurring of the line between fantasy and reality” (p 351). So while we use media to express our moods, we have to make sure we don’t use it so much that we take what we see on TV or in a movie for more than it is.
Wall Street Journal Article by Michaeleen Doucleff
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203646004577213010291701378.html