Showing papers by "Tilo Hartmann published in 2018"

Self-transcendent Media Experiences: Taking Meaningful Media to a Higher Level

Abstract: Interest in the meaningful sides of media entertainment has blossomed over the last decade, with numerous scholars examining how certain media content can enhance social good and well-being. Because social scientific work in this area is relatively new and is rapidly evolving numerous conceptualizations of meaningful media experiences have been introduced. In this paper we argue for the importance of recognizing a unique form of media experience that causes us to look beyond our own concerns, to recognize moral beauty, and to feel unity with humanity and nature-what we label here as ``self-transcendent media experiences.''

Always on? Explicating impulsive influences on media use

Abstract: Guido van Koningsbruggen, Tilo Hartmann, and Jie Du, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam Many people live in a media-rich environment, where media content and mediated communication options are easily accessible and almost always available independent from time and place. We argue that such a media-rich environment that constantly reminds people of all available media use options can be a strong trigger of impulsive media use. In this chapter, we explicate the automatic, impulsive process that is likely to facilitate such media use, and argue that investigating impulsive influences will provide a more complete understanding of the processes that drive people’s media use and various media-related behaviors in our current media-rich environment.

Entertainment as a Creature Comfort: Self-Control and Selection of Challenging Media

Abstract: A between-subjects experiment examined selective exposure to films in an imagined self-control scenario, and if exposure would be systematically related to perceptions of the film content as challenging, enjoyable, and a should versus a want choice. Across 3 measures of selective exposure—using open-ended choice, closed-ended choice, and prospective ratings—participants in the depletion condition were less likely to select films that were cognitively challenging, affectively challenging, or a should choice. In contrast to nondepleted participants, depleted participants were more likely to select films they expected being fun, suspenseful, and less appreciated. These results provide support for the proposition that users’ momentary self-control capacity and their perception of challenge provided by content predict media choice.

Virtually bad : A study on virtual agents that physically threaten human beings: socially interactive agents track

Abstract: This paper introduces the concept of "virtual bad guys": intelligent virtual agents that take a negative or even aggressive stance towards the user. Although they pave the way to various interesting applications, it is hard to create virtual bad guys that are taken seriously by the user, since they are typically unable to apply serious sanctions. To address this issue, this study experimentally investigated the effect of "consequential" agents that are able to physically threaten their human interlocutors. A consequential agent was developed by equipping users with a (non-functioning) device, through which they were made to believe the agent could mildly shock them. Effects on participants' levels of anxiety and (physiological and self-reported) stress were measured, and the role of presence and perceived believability of the virtual agent was assessed. The consequential agent triggered a stronger physiological stress response than the non- consequential agent, whereas self-reported levels of anxiety and stress did not significantly differ. Furthermore, while presence and believability were substantially associated with users' stress response, both states did not mediate or explain the effect of a consequential vs. non-consequential agent on stress, as they did not significantly differ between conditions. Implications of these findings and suggestions for follow-up studies on "virtual bad guys" are discussed.

Virtually Bad: A Study on Virtual Agents that Physically Threaten Human Beings

Abstract: This paper introduces the concept of "virtual bad guys": intelligent virtual agents that take a negative or even aggressive stance towards the user. Although they pave the way to various interesting applications, it is hard to create virtual bad guys that are taken seriously by the user, since they are typically unable to apply serious sanctions. To address this issue, this study experimentally investigated the effect of "consequential" agents that are able to physically threaten their human interlocutors. A consequential agent was developed by equipping users with a (non-functioning) device, through which they were made to believe the agent could mildly shock them. Effects on participants' levels of anxiety and (physiological and self-reported) stress were measured, and the role of presence and perceived believability of the virtual agent was assessed. The consequential agent triggered a stronger physiological stress response than the non-consequential agent, whereas self-reported levels of anxiety and stress did not significantly differ. Furthermore, while presence and believability were substantially associated with users' stress response, both states did not mediate or explain the effect of a consequential vs. non-consequential agent on stress, as they did not significantly differ between conditions. Implications of these findings and suggestions for follow-up studies on "virtual bad guys" are discussed.