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Chapter 9 Affective Disposition Theory

  • Matthew Grizzard , C. Joseph Francemone and Rebecca Frazer
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Entertainment Media and Communication
This chapter is in the book Entertainment Media and Communication

Abstract

Affective disposition theory (ADT) applies a social scientific approach to explain how audiences evaluate narratives. ADT was originally introduced over 50 years ago in order to explain the appeal of humor, and over time it became a leading theory in entertainment research specifically and media psychology research more broadly. In this chapter, we provide an in-depth account of ADT’s predictions and the research supporting and extending the theory. We first explicate the three subprocesses of ADT. These processes include (1) disposition formation (i.e., how viewers come to like or dislike characters), (2) anticipatory responses (i.e., what viewers hope or fear will happen to characters), and (3) outcome evaluation (how viewers judge whether narrative events are pleasing or displeasing). We further discuss current research directions by which scholars have been making considerable advances to disposition theorizing in recent years, including innovative methodologies, increased specification of ADT concepts, new theoretical pathways, and improved measurement techniques. Overall, we show how decades of research support the predictive and explanatory power of ADT, and how ongoing work continues to improve the theory for future applications.

Abstract

Affective disposition theory (ADT) applies a social scientific approach to explain how audiences evaluate narratives. ADT was originally introduced over 50 years ago in order to explain the appeal of humor, and over time it became a leading theory in entertainment research specifically and media psychology research more broadly. In this chapter, we provide an in-depth account of ADT’s predictions and the research supporting and extending the theory. We first explicate the three subprocesses of ADT. These processes include (1) disposition formation (i.e., how viewers come to like or dislike characters), (2) anticipatory responses (i.e., what viewers hope or fear will happen to characters), and (3) outcome evaluation (how viewers judge whether narrative events are pleasing or displeasing). We further discuss current research directions by which scholars have been making considerable advances to disposition theorizing in recent years, including innovative methodologies, increased specification of ADT concepts, new theoretical pathways, and improved measurement techniques. Overall, we show how decades of research support the predictive and explanatory power of ADT, and how ongoing work continues to improve the theory for future applications.

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter I
  2. Acknowledgements V
  3. Contents VII
  4. About the Editor XIII
  5. Preface to Handbooks of Communication Science series XVI
  6. General Introduction
  7. Media Entertainment Theory and Research: Still an Amorphous Area 1
  8. Section 1: Retrospectives and Foundations
  9. Chapter 1 Media Effects Paradigms: Was There Ever a Magic Bullet? 13
  10. Chapter 2 The Early Development of Audience Entertainment Research, 1937–1940 25
  11. Chapter 3 Humor and Mirth 37
  12. Chapter 4 Emotion and Entertainment 55
  13. Chapter 5 Audio-Visual Formal Features of Entertainment Messages 69
  14. Chapter 6 Encoding/Decoding Entertainment Media 85
  15. Section 2: Key and Canonical Theories
  16. Chapter 7 Narratives and Entertainment Media 103
  17. Chapter 8 Parasocial Interaction and Parasocial Relationship 119
  18. Chapter 9 Affective Disposition Theory 133
  19. Chapter 10 Uses and Gratifications Theory 149
  20. Chapter 11 Cultivation Theory and Entertainment 163
  21. Chapter 12 Identification with Characters in Narratives 177
  22. Chapter 13 Media Selection Processes in Entertainment 189
  23. Chapter 14 Media Habits and Entertainment 203
  24. Section 3: Considerations of Content/Genre/Type/ Setting
  25. Chapter 15 Crime Entertainment Media 219
  26. Chapter 16 Horror as Entertainment 231
  27. Chapter 17 Sport as Entertainment 245
  28. Chapter 18 Representation Matters: Ethnic/Racial Depictions in US Entertainment Media and the Implications for Audiences 257
  29. Chapter 19 Political Satire 273
  30. Chapter 20 Love It and/or Hate It: Journalism as Entertainment 289
  31. Chapter 21 Entertainment Media’s Effects on Child Audiences 303
  32. Chapter 22 Risk Behavior and Entertainment 321
  33. Chapter 23 Sexual Content, Sexuality in Media 337
  34. Chapter 24 Aggression and Violence in Entertainment Media 351
  35. Chapter 25 Entertainment-Education Media: Where Learning Is Fun 369
  36. Chapter 26 Transcendence and “Inspiring Media” 383
  37. Chapter 27 Branded Entertainment as a Win–Win Strategy for Consumers and Advertisers 397
  38. Section 4: Critical and Cultural Considerations
  39. Chapter 28 Searching for Meaning: Positioning Fan Research within Trends in Communication Studies 415
  40. Chapter 29 Gender, Identity, and Entertainment 429
  41. Chapter 30 Globalisation 445
  42. Chapter 31 Surveillance and Entertainment 457
  43. Chapter 32 Postcolonial Theory and Media Entertainment 469
  44. Chapter 33 The Role of Paratexts in Media Entertainment 481
  45. Chapter 34 Feminist Media Studies and Entertainment 493
  46. Chapter 35 Mediatization and Entertainment 505
  47. Chapter 36 Spaces and Places in Entertainment 521
  48. Section 5: Digital Media and Technology
  49. Chapter 37 Extended Reality and Metaverse Technology 535
  50. Chapter 38 Streaming Media and Entertainment Experiences 549
  51. Chapter 39 Esports and Game Streaming 563
  52. Chapter 40 Video Games as Entertaining-yet-Demanding Interactivity 577
  53. Chapter 41 Media Multitasking and Entertainment 591
  54. Chapter 42 Analytics in the Entertainment Industry 605
  55. Section 6: Advances and Conclusions
  56. Chapter 43 Priming and Exemplification: Implications for Entertainment 623
  57. Chapter 44 The Biology of Entertainment 635
  58. Chapter 45 Computational Modeling Entertainment Media Choice and Decision-Making in Communication Science 649
  59. Chapter 46 The Role of Theory in Media Entertainment Research 665
  60. Author Biographies 679
  61. Index 691
https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110792881-010

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter I
  2. Acknowledgements V
  3. Contents VII
  4. About the Editor XIII
  5. Preface to Handbooks of Communication Science series XVI
  6. General Introduction
  7. Media Entertainment Theory and Research: Still an Amorphous Area 1
  8. Section 1: Retrospectives and Foundations
  9. Chapter 1 Media Effects Paradigms: Was There Ever a Magic Bullet? 13
  10. Chapter 2 The Early Development of Audience Entertainment Research, 1937–1940 25
  11. Chapter 3 Humor and Mirth 37
  12. Chapter 4 Emotion and Entertainment 55
  13. Chapter 5 Audio-Visual Formal Features of Entertainment Messages 69
  14. Chapter 6 Encoding/Decoding Entertainment Media 85
  15. Section 2: Key and Canonical Theories
  16. Chapter 7 Narratives and Entertainment Media 103
  17. Chapter 8 Parasocial Interaction and Parasocial Relationship 119
  18. Chapter 9 Affective Disposition Theory 133
  19. Chapter 10 Uses and Gratifications Theory 149
  20. Chapter 11 Cultivation Theory and Entertainment 163
  21. Chapter 12 Identification with Characters in Narratives 177
  22. Chapter 13 Media Selection Processes in Entertainment 189
  23. Chapter 14 Media Habits and Entertainment 203
  24. Section 3: Considerations of Content/Genre/Type/ Setting
  25. Chapter 15 Crime Entertainment Media 219
  26. Chapter 16 Horror as Entertainment 231
  27. Chapter 17 Sport as Entertainment 245
  28. Chapter 18 Representation Matters: Ethnic/Racial Depictions in US Entertainment Media and the Implications for Audiences 257
  29. Chapter 19 Political Satire 273
  30. Chapter 20 Love It and/or Hate It: Journalism as Entertainment 289
  31. Chapter 21 Entertainment Media’s Effects on Child Audiences 303
  32. Chapter 22 Risk Behavior and Entertainment 321
  33. Chapter 23 Sexual Content, Sexuality in Media 337
  34. Chapter 24 Aggression and Violence in Entertainment Media 351
  35. Chapter 25 Entertainment-Education Media: Where Learning Is Fun 369
  36. Chapter 26 Transcendence and “Inspiring Media” 383
  37. Chapter 27 Branded Entertainment as a Win–Win Strategy for Consumers and Advertisers 397
  38. Section 4: Critical and Cultural Considerations
  39. Chapter 28 Searching for Meaning: Positioning Fan Research within Trends in Communication Studies 415
  40. Chapter 29 Gender, Identity, and Entertainment 429
  41. Chapter 30 Globalisation 445
  42. Chapter 31 Surveillance and Entertainment 457
  43. Chapter 32 Postcolonial Theory and Media Entertainment 469
  44. Chapter 33 The Role of Paratexts in Media Entertainment 481
  45. Chapter 34 Feminist Media Studies and Entertainment 493
  46. Chapter 35 Mediatization and Entertainment 505
  47. Chapter 36 Spaces and Places in Entertainment 521
  48. Section 5: Digital Media and Technology
  49. Chapter 37 Extended Reality and Metaverse Technology 535
  50. Chapter 38 Streaming Media and Entertainment Experiences 549
  51. Chapter 39 Esports and Game Streaming 563
  52. Chapter 40 Video Games as Entertaining-yet-Demanding Interactivity 577
  53. Chapter 41 Media Multitasking and Entertainment 591
  54. Chapter 42 Analytics in the Entertainment Industry 605
  55. Section 6: Advances and Conclusions
  56. Chapter 43 Priming and Exemplification: Implications for Entertainment 623
  57. Chapter 44 The Biology of Entertainment 635
  58. Chapter 45 Computational Modeling Entertainment Media Choice and Decision-Making in Communication Science 649
  59. Chapter 46 The Role of Theory in Media Entertainment Research 665
  60. Author Biographies 679
  61. Index 691
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