When Disaster Strikes: Examining the Role of Telepresence in Exemplification Effects

• In Event: Media Engagement, Enjoyment, Entertainment, and Processing

Abstract

Exemplification theory (Zillmann, 1999, 2002; Zillmann & Brosius, 2000) suggests exemplar representations in media content may cause people to make overestimated judgments about phenomena included in this content. The current study examines the role telepresence plays in increasing this exemplification effect by considering two telepresence variables: spatial presence and perceptual realism.

Authors

• David Westerman, West Virginia University

• Patric Spence, Western Michigan University

• Kenneth Lachlan, University of Massachusetts Boston