TV shows and movies can be comforting, relatable, help us relax and act as an emotional outlet. But what draws us to certain types of media in certain moments?
The types of shows, movies and characters we engage with can help us understand our emotions and life experiences, providing insight into the role media plays in our lives.
These are topics Ohio State media psychologist Sara Grady explores through her research on media coping, effects and narrative entertainment.
Grady says that watching TV can, “provide a kind of detachment in a way that can be psychologically really helpful, even though it sometimes gets a bad rap.”
Matthew Grizzard examines how perceptions of characters reflect and shape our moral judgements, providing commentary into personal and societal values.
“If we could understand how we make judgements of characters, how we pick sides in narratives, that's gonna tell us a lot about processes that occur in the real world.”
– Matthew Grizzard
Our judgments of those characters can influence our real lives, as narratives offer opportunities to explore how we see others.