Research and Insights: Self-Control and Need Satisfaction in Primetime: Television, Social Media, and Friends
Spending time watching TV, hanging out with friends or scrolling through social media can be viewed as a waste of time and energy. But what if the use of this leisure time actually helps improve self-control (e.g. capacity to self-regulate behavior) and can satisfy intrinsic psychological needs (autonomy, competence, and relatedness)?
Since so many individuals use media and leisure activities to meet these needs, University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications Advertising Assistant Professor Benjamin Johnson and fellow researchers wanted to know if these activities are actually helping people meet their needs and increasing their self-control. The study explores the self-determination theory, a theory that proposes one can satisfy intrinsic psychological needs through engaging in leisure time.
Video games, social media, TV and other activities have been linked to independence, relatedness, autonomy, feelings of mastery and satisfying social relationship needs. However, social media can also be linked to feelings of anxiety, social pressure, fear of missing out, etc. and if one believes that TV and video games “rot your brain,” then users will not experience the benefits of these mental breaks. This study establishes that it’s all about perception.
Posted: May 29, 2020
Category: Digest Only
