Broadcasting One World: How Watching Elevating Online Videos Can Strengthen Universal Orientation and Reduce Stereotypes

• In Event: Mass Communication: Elevation, Meaningfulness, Altruism

Abstract

Research on non-hedonic entertainment has suggested the experience of elevation as an important construct which might be elicited by meaningful media content and will lead to beneficial outcomes such as prosocial motivation. In a 3x4 between subjects online experiment we varied type of video (beauty of the earth, unity of humankind, portrayals of human kindness and funny control videos) and context of proliferation (presentation within an unknown video platform, presentation as YouTube video with low number of views vs. high number of views). Meaningful videos indeed led to greater elevation, more universal orientation and prosocial motivation – with videos showing human kindness standing out against other forms of meaningful videos. Additionally, especially human kindness videos fostered more positive attitudes toward stereotyped groups – mediated by the feeling of elevation and the subsequent feeling of universal orientation. Against expectations, the context of proliferation did not affect these dependent variables.

Authors

• Nicole C. Kramer, U of Duisburg - Essen

• Sabrina Cornelia Eimler, U of Duisburg-Essen

• German Neubaum, U of Duisburg-Essen

• Leonie Roesner, U of Duisburg-Essen

• Stephan Winter, U Duisburg-Essen

• Mary Beth Oliver, Pennsylvania State U