“I’m Pumped, But I Don’t Feel Like It!”: The Differential Effects of Affect and Arousal Regulation on Mood Repair and Recovery

• In Event: Affect and Emotion in Mass Media

Abstract

Mood management theory (MMT) posits that entertaining media can lead to mood repair for individuals in noxious mood states. The same MMT mechanics have also been assumed to aid in media-induced recovery experience, but such effects have not been tested. To this end, the present study examines the impact of hedonic valence and arousal regulation on the satisfaction of recovery needs through the use of non-interactive media with opposing affective valences (positive vs. negative). Results demonstrate that entertaining media contribute to recovery through distinct mechanisms: negative-valenced media aided in recovery through increased arousal while positive-valenced media aided in recovery via increased positive affect. Overall, individuals higher in need for recovery and those experiencing chronic stress were less able to recover using non-interactive media. The findings are discussed in terms of their implications for research on media-induced recovery via distinct pathways.

Authors

• Diana Rieger, University of Cologne

• Nicholas David Bowman, West Virginia U

• Lena Frischlich, University of Cologne

• Gary Bente, U of Cologne