TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2008//
TI  - Age Differences in Adults' Emotional Motivations for Exposure to Films
JO  - Media psychology
A1  - Mares, Marie-Louise
A1  - Oliver, Mary   Beth
A1  - Cantor, Joanne
SP  - 488
EP  - 511
VL  - 11
IS  - 4
N2  - Participants in three age ranges (younger adults, 18?25, N = 188; middle adults, 26?49, N = 92; and older adults, 50 and over, N = 93) completed a questionnaire assessing motivations for everyday affective experiences as well as affective motivations for film viewing. In line with Arnett's (2000) view of emerging adulthood and Carstensen, Isaacowitz, and Charles's (1999) theory of socioemotional selectivity, younger adults expressed the greatest interest in experiencing negative emotions in their everyday lives, in viewing dark, creepy, or violent content, and in viewing media to escape boredom and for amusement; older adults were most interested in experiencing emotional stability and in viewing films with uplifting, heartwarming content. Results suggest that lifespan differences may help explain the allure of hedonically negative programming among some groups. Participants in three age ranges (younger adults, 18?25, N = 188; middle adults, 26?49, N = 92; and older adults, 50 and over, N = 93) completed a questionnaire assessing motivations for everyday affective experiences as well as affective motivations for film viewing. In line with Arnett's (2000) view of emerging adulthood and Carstensen, Isaacowitz, and Charles's (1999) theory of socioemotional selectivity, younger adults expressed the greatest interest in experiencing negative emotions in their everyday lives, in viewing dark, creepy, or violent content, and in viewing media to escape boredom and for amusement; older adults were most interested in experiencing emotional stability and in viewing films with uplifting, heartwarming content. Results suggest that lifespan differences may help explain the allure of hedonically negative programming among some groups.<p /> 
LA  - 
SN  - 1521-3269
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/15213260802492026
ID  - ref1
ER  -