Learning From Crime Dramas: The Role of Presence and Transportation in Attitude Change
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Cleveland State University / OhioLINK
2008
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| Online Access: | http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=csu1210098917 |
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ndltd-OhioLink-oai-etd.ohiolink.edu-csu12100989172021-08-03T05:34:43Z Learning From Crime Dramas: The Role of Presence and Transportation in Attitude Change Rubenking, Bridget E. Communication Mass Media Psychology Presence telepresence transportation narrative mental illness As the authors of the Transportation-Imagery Model (Green & Brock, 2000; 2002) often state, much attention has been paid to the effects of persuasive communications, frequently at the cost of studying the effects that narratives have on individuals' real-world beliefs. This study is primarily interested in examining the role that transportation and presence - along with a host of related variables - play in individuals adopting story-consistent beliefs based on entertainment narratives. A secondary goal of the study is to explore the similarities and differences between transportation (Green & Brock, 2000) and presence (Lombard & Ditton, 1997; Wirth et al. 2007; Biocca 2002, Witmer & Singer, 1998). A review of previous literature documents that individuals learn from fiction - the realm of entertainment-education is just one example. If people can change their attitudes and behavior based on pro-social messages, examining whether, and under what conditions, this can occur with antisocial, or unjustly stereotypical content should be further explored. This experimental research is interested in what variables affect attitudes toward the mentally ill, based on their typical violent and criminal representations in a crime drama. Participants were randomly assigned to either the control condition, in which they viewed a crime drama with no reference to mental illness, or to the experimental condition, in which they viewed a crime drama that centers around a man who's schizophrenia serves as the reason he is a violent murderer. Participants viewed one of these episodes, and then responded to a questionnaire. Measures included counter-arguing with the narrative, transportation into the narrative (Green & Brock, 2000), three dimensions of presence: spatial, engagement (mental immersion), and social realism (Lombard & Ditton, 2000), perceived realism (Green, 2004), familiarity/personal experience with the mentally ill, and attitudes toward the mentally ill. A second time point measure of attitudes toward the mentally ill was administered 2-3 weeks after the initial viewing and questionnaire, in an attempt to further understand the longevity of narrative-based attitude change. Results demonstrate many similarities between transportation and presence, particularly the engagement (mental immersion) dimension of presence and transportation (r=.599, p<.010). Perceived realism was also related to transportation and engagement, such that the more real content was deemed, participants experienced greater transportation and presence. No main effect was found for the experimental manipulation, nor was transportation and presence then tied to attitude change. However, attitudes at the second time of measure were significantly more favorable toward the mentally ill than at the first time of measure. Theoretical implications are discussed. 2008-05-08 English text Cleveland State University / OhioLINK http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=csu1210098917 http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=csu1210098917 unrestricted This thesis or dissertation is protected by copyright: all rights reserved. It may not be copied or redistributed beyond the terms of applicable copyright laws. |
| collection |
NDLTD |
| language |
English |
| sources |
NDLTD |
| topic |
Communication Mass Media Psychology Presence telepresence transportation narrative mental illness |
| spellingShingle |
Communication Mass Media Psychology Presence telepresence transportation narrative mental illness Rubenking, Bridget E. Learning From Crime Dramas: The Role of Presence and Transportation in Attitude Change |
| author |
Rubenking, Bridget E. |
| author_facet |
Rubenking, Bridget E. |
| author_sort |
Rubenking, Bridget E. |
| title |
Learning From Crime Dramas: The Role of Presence and Transportation in Attitude Change |
| title_short |
Learning From Crime Dramas: The Role of Presence and Transportation in Attitude Change |
| title_full |
Learning From Crime Dramas: The Role of Presence and Transportation in Attitude Change |
| title_fullStr |
Learning From Crime Dramas: The Role of Presence and Transportation in Attitude Change |
| title_full_unstemmed |
Learning From Crime Dramas: The Role of Presence and Transportation in Attitude Change |
| title_sort |
learning from crime dramas: the role of presence and transportation in attitude change |
| publisher |
Cleveland State University / OhioLINK |
| publishDate |
2008 |
| url |
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=csu1210098917 |
| work_keys_str_mv |
AT rubenkingbridgete learningfromcrimedramastheroleofpresenceandtransportationinattitudechange |
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1719422000474095616 |