This week we learned about uses and gratification theory. In this activity you will try to understand how mood and emotional states influence our choices of media selection.

Standard expectations: As with every assignment in this class, be sure to respond to the following questions in your own words and succinctly (in as few words as possible). 

Helpful resources to complete this activity. You should be able to answer these questions based on your assigned readings and lectures. These additional resources may help you further but are not necessary to complete this assignment.

• Moskalenko, S., & Heine, S. J. (2003). Watching your troubles away: Television viewing as a stimulus for subjective self-awareness. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 29(1), 76-85.
• Why-does-watching-dystopian-shows-feel-so-good: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-science-fandom/202210/why-does-watching-dystopian-shows-feel-so-goodLinks to an external site.

Assignment:

1. Describe a specific media selection choice you made this week. What was the gratification you received from consuming this media source or what need/goal did it satisfy? (1-2 sentences: 1 point).
   1. If doing this in groups, briefly summarize everyone’s responses for what they watched and why
2. Describe a time when you consumed media in a state of subjective self-awareness. What exactly about the media content activated a sense of subjective self-awareness for you? (2-4 sentences: 1 point).
   1. If doing this in groups, describe one person’s experience that you think best represents consumption of media in a state of subjective self-awareness.
3. Describe a time when you consumed media in a state of objective self-awareness. What exactly about the media content activated a sense of objective self-awareness for you? (2-4 sentences: 1 point).
   1. If doing this in groups, describe one person’s experience that you think best represents consumption of media in a state of objective self-awareness.
4. What kind of media are people likely to consume if they are in a state of objective self-awareness? Why? (2-4 sentences: 1 point).
5. Why might people be interested in consuming media that scares them? What gratification/need does this satisfy? (2-4 sentences: 1 point).

   https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-science-fandom/202210/why-does-watching-dystopian-shows-feel-so-good