Guilty Pleasures? Determining the Effectiveness of Entertaining Microbreaks for Recreational Purposes

• In Event: ICA Plenary Interactive Paper/Poster Session II
  In Interactive Paper Session: Information Systems Interactive Poster Session

Abstract

Although being unwanted by most employers, unscheduled breaks are commonplace at every corporate level. Typically, media entertainment provides a suitable means for such intermissions. The present study extends existing findings by examining a comprehensive model of micro self-regulation including not only hedonic and eudaimonic pleasure, but also audience involvement and favorable personality characteristics. For this purpose, we conducted an online experiment with 185 participants (f =116, age M = 25.50 years, SD = 6.12), who watched a self-directed music clip which was manipulated in terms of meaningfulness. Results revealed on the first step strong links between recipients' involvement and entertainment pleasures as well as on the next step between entertainment pleasures and recreation. Likewise participants' musicality and empathy towards media characters influence their level of involvement. Together these findings provide valuable insight into conditions for beneficial micro breaks during working hours.

Authors

• Kevin Koban, Chemnitz University of Technology

• Georg Valtin, Chemnitz U of Technology

• Sandra Rogenz, Chemnitz U of Technology