Entertainment Studies Interest Group
* Extended Abstract * Audience Expectations for Film Genre and Television Formats • Leo Jeffres; David Atkin; Kimberly Neuendorf • This paper reports findings from an online survey capturing viewers’ perceptions of film genre and television formats and their mass communication behaviors as audiences cope with the “media of abundance.” Relationships among those variables are examined in an attempt to develop content theory for audience selection and processing of contemporary “moving image” content. Centrally, audience definitions of 31 film genre and 11 television formats are compared qualitatively and quantitatively with those of scholars and critics.
13 Reasons Why Children and Adolescents Believe They are Not Influenced by Depictions of Bullying and Violence on Television • John Chapin, Penn State; Alexey Stern • Using third-person perception (TPP) as a framework, the purpose of the study was to explore children and adolescent perceptions of violent television shows. A survey of middle school and high school students (N = 1,138) was paired with a content analysis of the two shows most frequently identified by participants as being their most watched: 13 Reasons Why and SpongeBob. Results of the content analysis reveal that middle school students who watched SpongeBob were exposed to more incidents of violence than high school students who watched 13 Reasons Why. Although the middle school students reported experiencing less violence than their counterparts in high school, results of the survey found about half said they were physically abused over the past year, and 17% experienced cyber-bullying. Despite experiencing a range of abusive behaviors, few quit using social media apps and only one-third told a parent or teacher. Those who exhibited TPP took fewer precautions. Perceived media reality and experience with victimization emerged as the strongest predictors of TPP, with experience being the only predictor to decrease the perceptual bias.
G-Men Heroes and Deep-State Thugs: Analysis of Hollywood’s Historical Representation of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. • Dean Cummings, Georgia Southern University; Jeffrey Riley, Georgia Southern University • This study uses cultivation theory to textually analyze the Hollywood depiction of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and its agents throughout history. The study examines how the early relationship between the FBI’s Director J. Edgar Hoover and Hollywood led to the creation of the depiction in popular media of the FBI agent as a celebrated hero and patriot, the defender of law and justice. Agents were frequently used as main or supportive characters that solved crimes and dedicated their careers to seeking justice. However, Hoover’s death in 1972 is a dividing line, beyond which Hollywood depictions of the FBI begin to shift. The depiction of the post-Hoover FBI in popular film and TV loses its do-gooder polish. The FBI agent partially becomes symbol of oppressive, invasive government rather than protector of the people against ne’er-do-wells. The findings of this study contribute to a deeper understanding of knowledge in regards to the interactions between popular media and the society in which said media is produced.
* Extended Abstract * Small Town, Big Representation? A Representational Analysis of the Scientists in Eureka • Deborah J. Danuser, University of Pittsburgh • Eureka (2006-2012) entertained audiences with stories about Eureka, a small Northwestern town with a big secret. It is where the U.S. government keeps the best scientific minds and secretly funds their cutting-edge research to create futurist technologies. Eureka provides scholars with a unique opportunity to examine Western culture’s preconceptions about who qualifies as a scientist in a small town full of scientists. I analyze the demographics of the scientific characters appearing in Eureka via a customized coding scheme inspired by Mead and Métraux’s (1957) research and the “Draw A Scientist Test” studies (Chambers, 1983; Finson, 2002; Finson, Beaver, & Cramond, 1995). The resulting data looks the trends and patterns observed in the show, as well as supports an investigation into the issues of representation typically present in primetime television dramas. Preliminary results indicate that the demographics of Eureka’s scientific characters are more diverse than many of its television peers, i.e., The Big Bang Theory. Eureka may in fact reflect the demographics of America’s real science and engineer (S&E) labor force from the mid-2000s. However, the S&E labor forces of both Eureka and the U.S.A. underrepresent women and people of color when compared to the overall demographics of America’s population. As cultivation theory (Gerbner, Gross, Morgan, & Signorielli, 1994) argues television fosters shared conceptions of reality among otherwise diverse publics, diversifying the representations of scientists on television could complement real-life efforts to diversify the STEM fields and combat stereotypes.
New framing of sexual health issues in Netflix’s Sex Education • Diane Ezeh Aruah • Television drama series can use sexual scripts to create awareness about sexual health problems and solutions. Relying on social cognitive theory and framing analysis, this study explored a Netflix teen TV show, Sex Education, to understand its framing of common sexual health concerns like the use of contraceptives, homosexuality, STDs, sexual violence, puberty, virginity loss, and masturbation. Findings indicate that contraceptive use was depicted in the context of teaching sexual responsibility and de-stigmatization of people seeking to prevent pregnancy. Homosexuality was framed as natural and as acceptable to God. The show portrayed STDs as non-shameful diseases and as a health issue that begs for deeper understanding by the younger generation. Sex Education portrayed the negative consequences of sexual violence and encouraged openness and help-seeking for people affected. Generally, the TV show appeared to offer a new framing of sexual health issues compared to those explored by previous researchers. However, this study recommends representation of realistic views about masturbation and not as an act that could be carried out anywhere. Future researchers could explore the show quantitatively to provide more detailed information about which issues were prominently covered and to identify issues the show has not addressed adequately.
“It’s one billionth our size and it’s beating us”: Crisis Narratives in the Epidemic Movies Contagion and Outbreak • Katie Foss, Middle TN State University • The fictional epidemic films Outbreak (1995) and Contagion (2011) surged in popularity during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. This research used a narrative analysis to examine the movies’ messages about epidemics. Findings indicate similarities in the stages of crisis and the common themes of public panic, conspiracy, and heroes/antiheroes. Media presence was surprisingly minimal. Such themes were used to shed light on why audiences are drawn to the epidemic genre in a real-life epidemiological crisis.
Help or Hindrance: Examining Disability Media Exposure, Stigmatization, and Support • Jasmine Gray, UNC Chapel Hill; Meredith Collins • Previous research argues that entertainment narratives can substantially influence the extent to which those with disabilities are stigmatized. However, findings are mixed. This study examines the extent to which exposure to entertainment narratives featuring main characters with disabilities impacts the support of those with disabilities. This study has implications for empowerment and resilience for people with disabilities in terms of media exposure, stigmatization, (mis) representation, and media participation.
Keeping up with Politics?: The Kardashians and the Armenian Genocide • Tamar Gregorian • The Kardashians are known for “being famous for being famous,” but aside from documenting their luxurious lives, they have also lent their name and fame to the fight for Armenian Genocide recognition. Using Hall’s (1973) theory of encoding/decoding, the researcher conducted a textual analysis of their two-part episode in Armenia. The researcher determined that their visit created unprecedented awareness of the Armenian Genocide, making it part of the popular culture conversation.
* Extended Abstract * Bring Back Dads: A qualitative content analysis of the role of Black fathers on television • Keisa Gunby, University of South Carolina • This study uses a convenience sampling of nine television episodes, employing qualitative content analysis to examine the portrayal of Black fathers in former and current broadcast television comedies and a drama in order to investigate how these depictions maintain negative stereotypes of Black males. Using social learning theory, this study uncovers Black fathers are more likely to be depicted are protectors, providers and partners while stereotypes of buffoon, Black brute, lech are reinforced.
Psychological Factors of Fandoms Engagement in the East Asian Pop Idol Group Culture • Yanru Jiang, University of Southern California • The “pop idol group” is a cultural phenomenon and popular business model in the 21st century. Teenagers who wish to become idols drop out of high school and are intensively trained in a set of skills that are essential for them to become idols. Entertainment companies fully cover the training and accommodation expenses of trainees with the expectation of branding them in groups for their performance to generate revenues. The existence of fandoms comes from the need of self-identity construction and social capital acquisition. The fandom psychology of pop idol groups can be explained by the engagement, belongingness, companionship, familiarity, and controllability fans perceived in the idolization. This research attempted to identify psychological factors that determine pop idol groups’ likability and popularity. The study conducted content analysis to analyze the audience’s engagement, the familiarity and controllability perceived by fans on social media platforms.
Sexual Objectification and Gender Display in Arabic Music Videos • Claudia Kozman, Lebanese American University; Amr Selim; Sally Farhat, LAU • A content analysis of the most popular Arabic music videos on YouTube found females are sexually objectified compared to males. Female artists acted in stereotypical manners, displaying both subordinate and sexual behavior. They posed and danced sexually, used facial expressions to seduce, and exposed their skin. The sexual tones that characterize women in Arabic music videos reinforce the existing notions of women as sexual objects to be gazed at for male pleasures.
* Extended Abstract * With Friends Like These…: The Real Housewives of Atlanta and Parsocial Relationships • Carmen Landy, University of South Carolina – Columbia • This study is a qualitative look how the parasocial relationships between viewers and the characters of the show, the Real Housewives of Atlanta, impacts their perspective on in-person friendships
Click it, Binge it, Get Hooked: Netflix and the Growing U.S. Audience for Foreign Content • Brad Limov, University of Texas at Austin • Analysis of survey results from U.S. residents (n = 288) watching foreign content on Netflix found that respondents watch foreign content more frequently than they did before and hold favorable attitudes toward foreign countries and subtitles. The data suggests a cyclical relationship between viewing frequency and use of the recommendations system for foreign content discovery. Results are discussed in terms of global media flows, the affordances of the platform, and indirect soft power accumulation.
From Parasocial Interaction to Multisocial Interaction: Examining Fan Labor Behavior and Its Antecedents • Fangcao Lu; Yanqing Sun; Stella Chia • Fan labor in support of celebrities is an increasing popular phenomenon in entertainment industries. This study initially investigate what sort of labor fans are willing to provide and what factors drive them to provide such free labor. We surveyed 307 young female fans. The findings revealed that parasocial interaction with celebrities and identification with fan communities are directly or indirectly associated with fan labor behaviors. The theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
The nature of FoMO: Trait and state fear-of-missing-out and their relationships to entertainment television consumption • Lindsey Maxwell, Southern Mississippi; Alec Tefertiller, Baylor University; David Morris • This study set out to establish if FoMO can be a state that varies within an individual based on situational factors, and to adapt a scale which can be used to measure state FoMO. Within the context of the Game of Thrones finale, results demonstrated that trait and state FoMO are two different factors and identified some related concepts that both factors predict. A state FoMO scale for use in future research is proposed.
The Movement in the Message: Bob Dylan, Ideology and the Lived Experiences of African Americans During the Civil Rights Movement • Christina Myers • This study investigates how a white artist, Bob Dylan, can accurately convey the realities of African Americans during the Civil Rights Movement through his music. To explore these dynamics through the Ideology theory, a qualitative content analysis of Dylan’s song lyrics released during the 1960s were analyzed to determine the themes that arise from his music that reveal the lived experiences of African Americans. Results reveal themes of spirituality, unity and disdain for society.
Gaming disorder: News framing of video game addiction as a mental illness • Scott Parrott, The University of Alabama; Ryan Rogers; Nathan Towery, The University of Alabama; Samuel Hakim • In May 2019, the World Health Organization decided to identify “gaming disorder” as a mental illness in its diagnostic manual. The decision followed debate in which the video game industry, gamers, parents, and mental health professionals disagreed over whether sufficient research evidence existed to identify gaming disorder as a mental illness. Informed by framing theory, the present study employed a quantitative content analysis to examine news coverage of the decision in the year leading to and immediately following the controversial classification. The study sought to determine how journalists framed gaming disorder in terms of (a) defining the problem, (b) identifying causes, (c) advancing treatment recommendations, and (d) extending moral evaluations. More often than not, journalists focused on the health consequences of gaming disorder, arguably legitimizing the illness. Less apparent was conflict, or stories that highlighted debate among the gaming industry, mental health professionals, and others. Practical implications are discussed in light of framing theory and health communication.
The Social Identity of ‘Loot box’ Gamers: A Case Study of Final Fantasy Brave Exvius • Gregory Perreault; Emory Daniel; Samuel Tham • The present study seeks to understand the ‘loot box’ gamer–gamers who play games in which real money is spent in order to gamble for the chance at digital game content. This is conducted through a case study of players of the loot box game Final Fantasy Brave Exvius through a survey of participants on the game’s subreddit (n=592), and in-depth interviews with attendees at the game’s international convention (n=21).
(In)congruities between Political Messages and Popular Music: An Analysis of U.S. Presidential Campaign Songs • Lottie Peterson; Scott Church, Brigham Young University; Quint Randle, BYU • Music is not as prominent a feature in political campaigns as it was in the 19th and early 20th centuries. However, songs in modern campaigns still hold value by creating an additional layer of representation for political candidates. Using an adaptation of Sellnow and Sellnow’s “Illusion of Life” rhetorical perspective, this study analyzed the lyrics of the predominant campaign songs for both Republican and Democratic candidates for the 1972-2016 elections. This analysis sought to convey how the very process of selecting a campaign song is a profound rhetorical act, and that songs chosen even in modern elections have a specific meaning and purpose tied to the political contexts in which they are embedded. The primary findings of this research indicated that both Republican and Democratic candidates have largely made use of congruity in their campaign songs, with that congruity only increasing over time — a surprising result considering congruity can often diminish listener appeal. The analysis also indicated that in general, Republican candidates tend to utilize songs that are positive and patriotic in nature, while their Democratic opponents incorporate songs that offer a critique of the nation.
“They Can’t Stop All of Us”: A discussion about the internet’s reaction to the raid on Area 51 • Mariah Reneau • Through narrative analysis, this paper seeks to study themes seen in a series of Raid Area 51 memes and analyze how visual rhetoric was used to prompt the memes’ audiences to participate in a raid on Area 51. The research showed that the collection of memes illustrated a variety of plotlines that prompted action by tying in both an appeal to emotion and logic while also bringing in pop culture icons to craft a clear narrative that the raid on Area 51 was inherent.
A Whole ‘Nother Domain: Understanding Future’s Performance of the Authentic Black Male Identity In Hip-Hop • Jordan Sallis; Josephine Lukito, University of Wisconsin, Madison • Themes within hip-hop facilitate the adoption of worldviews. The hood, as tied to hip-hop culture, provides a space for subscribers to explore and adopt value systems that accentuate their authenticity. Our qualitative analysis of ten songs featuring Future, highlights his identity performance as “the boss” and lays out how Future’s lyrics operate as a playbook for other Black men to successfully operationalize criminal networks, violence and misogyny to be “a boss” in the hood.
* Extended Abstract * How ‘healthy’ are the children’s entertainment programs? An analysis of the health-related content in popular TV shows targeted at preschool-aged children • Neelam Sharma; Gayathri Sivakumar; Marilee Long, Colorado State University • SUMMARY: This paper analyzes the content of 11 popular TV shows (123 episodes) targeted at the preschool-aged children (3-5 years old) to examine the frequency and nature of health-related messages contained in children’s programs. Data analysis reveals that while only 37% of these episodes contained any health-related content, a majority of these health messages were positive messages on healthy eating and over 90% used modeling behavior strategy of compliance to promote health eating among children.
* Extended Abstract * Reconsidering Quality: Cosmopolitan Audiences as Markers of Quality for Transnational Internet-Distributed Television • Ryan Stoldt • American television industries have historically defined “quality” programs through the lens of advertisers. Quality programs reached advertisers’ most desired customers. Yet, Internet-distributed television services like Netflix are not funded by advertisers. Thus, the industry’s understanding of quality television has changed alongside these economics shifts. I argue that quality shows are still understood through audiences by these services, but their desired audiences are now those whose cultural tastes match the cosmopolitan programming of internet-distributed television services.
The dynamics of problematic gaming in FIFA 20 • Samuel Tham; Kimberly Kelling; Ellison Kelling • The association between loot box gaming and gambling has led to increased interest in problematic gaming research. One such loot box game that has garnered worldwide recognition is EA Sport’s FIFA franchise. The present study surveyed FIFA gamers to parse out the roles of gamers and explain the dynamic relationship between gamer roles and gaming addiction. In addition, attitudes, sunk cost, and flow were explored as mediators in this study. Findings of the online survey (n=200) of FIFA gamers were in line with past research that demonstrates the importance of attitudes and flow in predicting gaming addiction. Sunk cost was also found to be highly associated with gaming addiction. Importantly, two emergent gaming tendencies were explained and discussed in this study. These tendencies that gamers adopt in the game are defined by gamer motivations and also represent important implications for gaming addiction.
* Extended Abstract * Quibi’s quick bites: Technology acceptance and adoption • Casey Yetter, University of Oklahoma; Alex Eschbach • This research looks at the technology acceptance model and adoption of Quibi, a new mobile-only streaming service launched on April 6, 2020. For this purpose, a survey of 152 undergraduate students was conducted. This research found moderate correlations between content quality, convenience, and ease of use with perceived usefulness. Some conclusions are included with the intent that more analysis will be done on the data in the future.
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