Mood Repair Following Eudaimonic Media Selection

Decades of research have investigated how one’s current mood can influence media selection and, in turn, how media use can affect mood. However, to date, scant attention has been paid to the role of eudaimonic entertainment in those processes. The purpose of this study was (a) to compare hedonic and eudaimonic media selection by individuals in different mood states, and (b) to examine the extent to which that media selection led to mood maintenance or repair. The results of a two-part, two-condition, between-subjects experiment (n = 178) found that, although participants in negative and positive mood states were more likely to select hedonic videos to view than eudaimonic ones, both types of videos elicited similar positive mood effects. Moreover, the findings evidenced the specific role of elevation evoked by eudaimonic video content in mood improvement. The study demonstrates a need to extend mood management theory to consider elevation and eudaimonic media experiences.