Time Well-Spent? Motivation for Entertainment Media and Its Eudaimonic Aspects Through the Lens of Self-Determination Theory

This chapter reviews empirical evidence to illuminate the role of the phenomena, particularly parasocial interaction and relationships, in fostering well-being. From a psychological perspective, parasocial interaction is not very different from other illusionary experiences, including optical illusions, in which, despite better knowledge, observers intuitively sense something that is not objectively true. A parasocial interaction actually builds on two different illusionary experiences: The first illusion is about social cognition and the second illusion that defines a parasocial interaction builds on a sense of copresence and mutual awareness. The compensation hypothesis has not been examined as implying that parasocial relationships, over time, actually replace existing orthogonal relationships. An attachment style is an important personality characteristic rooted in individuals early life experiences with their caregivers. Evidence regarding the loneliness version of the compensation hypothesis, that is, that lonelier people may maintain stronger parasocial relationships, is ambivalent. Gardner et al. argue that parasocial relationships, too, may provide such social snacking and social shielding function.