Using motivational cognition and mood management to predict media content pacing and selection over four days of media multitasking
Abstract/Contents
- Abstract
- This field study applies both state and trait based theories to explore the concept of media multitasking, operationalized as task-switching on a computer. A motivated cognition perspective makes predictions about long-term individual trait differences in content selection and pacing while multitasking. In contrast, mood management predicts that individuals have a tendency to manage short-term situations and maximize positive mood states during media use. This study employs two novel methods. The first accurately and objectively records switching activity in the field by logging screen content every five seconds for four days. The second advances traditional experience sampling methods by contextually surveying emotional state based on switching behavior. Results revealed extremely fast switching between content at the computer: median segment length was just 11 seconds, comparable to 19 seconds found in past research (Yeykelis, Cummings, & Reeves, 2014). Individuals with high baseline levels of appetitive activation (high ASA) switched more, cycled through content faster, had higher arousal at the computer, and preferred more entertainment content than individuals with low appetitive activation (low ASA). Evidence of mood management was found on one day of the experimental period: valence over a day increased for those with high ASA but decreased for those with low ASA. Novel visualizations showed that individual differences in content selection were substantial in the user-selected construction of a media day. Further, the data determined that switching and content predictors of valence and arousal varied greatly across individuals.
Description
| Type of resource | text |
|---|---|
| Form | electronic; electronic resource; remote |
| Extent | 1 online resource. |
| Publication date | 2015 |
| Issuance | monographic |
| Language | English |
Creators/Contributors
| Associated with | Yeykelis, Leo |
|---|---|
| Associated with | Stanford University, Department of Communication. |
| Primary advisor | Reeves, Byron, 1949- |
| Thesis advisor | Reeves, Byron, 1949- |
| Thesis advisor | Bailenson, Jeremy |
| Thesis advisor | Hamilton, James, 1961- |
| Thesis advisor | Monin, Benoît, 1972- |
| Advisor | Bailenson, Jeremy |
| Advisor | Hamilton, James, 1961- |
| Advisor | Monin, Benoît, 1972- |
Subjects
| Genre | Theses |
|---|
Bibliographic information
| Statement of responsibility | Leo Yeykelis. |
|---|---|
| Note | Submitted to the Department of Communication. |
| Thesis | Thesis (Ph.D.)--Stanford University, 2015. |
| Location | electronic resource |
Access conditions
- Copyright
- © 2015 by Leonid Yeykelis
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