Blissed by the past: Theorizing media-induced nostalgia as an audience response factor for entertainment and well-being

Wulf, Tim; Rieger, Diana and Schmitt, Josephine B. (2018): Blissed by the past: Theorizing media-induced nostalgia as an audience response factor for entertainment and well-being. In: Poetics, Vol. 69: pp. 70-80

Abstract

Research found media to contribute to human well-being via hedonic and non-hedonic entertainment experiences. In this connection, research has seldom taken memories about preceding media exposure into consideration for their impact on present media use. Media-induced nostalgia defined as bittersweet and fundamentally social emotion that is elicited by remembering or re-experiencing media content and technologies from the past serves a self-oriented, existential and social function. We propose that by serving these functions, media-induced nostalgia contributes to hedonic and non-hedonic entertainment experiences and influences psychological and subjective well-being. We review existing literature on two-process models of entertainment, well-being, and nostalgia. Consequently, we provide a framework for integrating media-induced nostalgia into the complex field of media entertainment.

• Item Type: Journal article
• Keywords: experiences;Hedonic;Media;non-hedonic entertainment;Nostalgia;psychological well-being;Subjective
• Faculties: Social Sciences > Communication
• Subjects: 000 Computer science, information and general works > 070 News media, journalism and publishing; 100 Philosophy and Psychology > 150 Psychology; 300 Social sciences > 300 Social sciences, sociology and anthropology
• ISSN: 0304-422X
• Language: English