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Media Genre Preferences
The study of media genre preferences pertains to individuals' selections of certain types of content within each medium (e.g., horror or documentary films, news or talk shows, rap or rock music, etc.). Media effects researchers attempt to determine how and why individuals choose certain types of media content. Individuals vary greatly in their selections and preferences of media genres. For example, some children are drawn to cartoons and others to sitcoms. Adolescents use their musical selections, whether rock, country, rap, or other, to differentiate themselves from others. The process of developing preferences for a particular genre is complex. Needs and motivations, individual differences, and moods are just some of the many factors that affect individuals' disposition toward various genres.
Motivations
According to the uses and gratifications theory, individuals actively select media to fulfill specific needs and desires. Arnett specified five uses of media by adolescents, including entertainment, identity formation, high sensation, coping, and youth culture identification. Like adults, children and adolescents use the media for enjoyment; they get pleasure from watching a particular type of show or listening to a piece of music. Of course, what is enjoyable for one person is not necessarily enjoyable for another, so even when individuals have a common reason for using media, their selections may vary.
Adolescents also use the media to shape their ideas of who they are and where they fit in regard to others. A preference for a particular type of music, such as punk rock, may indicate an adolescent's identification with others who likewise enjoy this type of music. This choice of music may also reveal an adolescent's appreciation for a certain type of lifestyle, fashion, hairstyle, worldview, behavior, and so forth, that are associated with this genre.
Researchers have identified many motivations for using media in general and television in particular. Rubin identified six television viewing motivations of children and adolescents, including to learn, to pass time (or habit), for companionship, to escape or forget, for arousal, and for relaxation. He found that most children and adolescents watch television out of habit or when they have nothing better to do. Moreover, children and adolescents who used television for different purposes often selected dissimilar programs. For example, those who watched television because it was arousing, thrilling, or exciting preferred adventure or dramatic programs, whereas those who watched out of habit, to escape, or for companionship preferred situation comedies. Furthermore, those who watched out of habit were most likely to shun news or public affairs programming. Differences in individual goals thus influence genre choice.
Individual Differences
The strengths of certain needs also affect media selection. For example, some individuals have a strong need for cognition or desire to think and understand whereas others do not. The strength of this need may determine not only the decision to use a particular medium, but also the type of programming that is selected. It is plausible that those who have a higher need for cognition would choose programming that is educational or informative. In support of this idea, Hawkins et al. found that individuals with a high need for cognition were less likely to pay attention to dramas and comedy shows than were those with a low need for cognition, but this difference was not found for news or informational programs.
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- Advertising
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- Internet Use, Age and
- Internet Use, Education and
- Internet Use, Gambling in
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- Internet Use, HomeNet Study and
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- Mobile Telephones
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- Online Relationships
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- Regulation, Internet
- Sex, Internet Solicitation of
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- Sticky Marketing
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- African Americans, Media Effects on
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- African Americans, Media Use by
- Anime
- Asia, Media Use in
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- Cultural Identity
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- Entertainment-Education, International
- Ethnicity, Race, and Media
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- Europe, Media Use in
- European Broadcasting Union (EBU)
- European Comparative Study
- Globalization, Media and
- Immigrants, Media Use by
- India, Media Use in
- Indigenous Media
- Japan, Media in
- Latin America, Media Use in
- Latina/os, Media Effects on
- Latina/os, Media Images of
- Latina/os, Media Use by
- Manga (Japanese Comic Books)
- Native Americans, Media Use by
- Obscenity
- Television, International Viewing Patterns and
- Tobacco Advertising, International
- UNESCO Violence Study
- Youth Culture
- Developmental Stages
- Adolescents, Developmental Needs of, and Media
- Adolescents, Media Portrayals of
- Adolescents, Movie Portrayals of
- Childhood, Media Portrayals of
- Cognitive Development, Media and
- Developmental Differences, Media and
- Family Communication Patterns Model
- Heroes, Identity, and Parasocial Interaction
- Infants and Toddlers, Developmental Needs of
- Infants and Toddlers, Media Exposure of
- Information Processing, Developmental Differences and
- Parenting Styles
- Preschoolers, Media Impact on Developmental Needs of
- School-Age Children, Impact of the Media on
- Teenager, History of
- Tweens, Media Preferences of
- Gender and Sexuality
- Advertising in Girls' Magazines
- Advertising, Gender and
- Body Image in Boys and Young Men
- Body Image in Girls and Young Women
- Boy Bands
- Cartoons, Gender Representation in
- Comic Strips, Gender Stereotypes in
- Computer Use, Gender and
- Contraceptive Advertising
- Contraceptive Information, Online
- Contraceptive Information, Television and
- Electronic Games, Gender and
- Engaged Resistance
- Fathers, Media Portrayals of
- Food Advertising, Gender, Ethnicity, and Age
- Gender Identity Development
- Gender Roles in Magazines
- Gender Roles in Music
- Gender Roles in Television Commercials
- Gender Roles on Television
- Gender, Media Use and
- Hip Hop, Female Performers of
- Hip Hop, Masculinity in
- Hip Hop, Portrayals of Women in
- HIV/AIDS, Media Prevention Programs and
- Internet Use, Gender and
- Magazines, Adolescent Boys'
- Magazines, Adolescent Girls'
- Mothers, Media Portrayals of
- Music Listening, Gender Effects on
- Natural Experiments, Impact on Gender Roles
- Schemas/Scripts, Gender
- Schemas/Scripts, Sexual
- Sex in Television, Content Analysis of
- Sex in Television, Incidence and Themes
- Sex in Television, Perceived Realism of
- Sex, Internet Solicitation of
- Sex, Media Impact on
- Sexual Content, Age and Comprehension of
- Sexual Information, Internet and
- Sexual Information, Teen Magazines and
- Sexual Minorities, Portrayals of
- Sexual Risk and Responsibility, Portrayals of
- Sexualization of Children
- Sexualized Violence
- Soap Operas, Sexuality in
- Media Education
- Adult Mediation Strategies
- Cartoons, Educational
- Commercial Television and Radio in Schools
- Digital Literacy
- Educational Television, Effects of
- Educational Television, History of
- Educational Television, Programming in
- Electronic Games, Positive Uses of
- Entertainment-Education in the United States
- Entertainment-Education, International
- Language Learning, Television and
- Media Education Foundation
- Media Education, Family Involvement in
- Media Education, International
- Media Education, Political Socialization and
- Media Education, Schools and
- Media Literacy Programs
- Media Literacy, Aims and Purposes of
- Media Literacy, Approaches to
- Media Literacy, Key Concepts in
- Natural Experiments, Impact on Creativity and School Achievement
- Sesame Workshop
- Social Learning Theory/Social Cognitive Theory
- Television, Moral Messages on
- Television, Prosocial Content and
- Media Effects
- Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
- Body Image in Boys and Young Men
- Body Image in Children
- Body Image in Girls and Young Women
- Body Image, Ethnicity/Race and
- Child-Centered vs. Media-Centered Perspectives
- Childhood, Media Portrayals of
- Cognitive Development, Media and
- Developmental Differences, Media and
- Divided Attention, Parallel Processing and
- Drug Use, Depictions of
- Drug Use, Prevention of
- Eating Disorders
- Eating Habits, Media Influence on
- Family Environment, Media Effects on
- Fantasy, Media Effects on
- Fear Reactions
- Globalization, Media and
- Imagination, Effects of Television on
- Interactive Media
- Loneliness
- Mean World Syndrome
- Media Celebrities
- Media Education, Political Socialization and
- Media Effects
- Media Effects, Family Interactions and
- Media Effects, History of Research on
- Media Effects, Maltreated Children and
- Media Effects, Models of
- Media, Meanings of
- Natural Experiments, Impact on Community Activities
- Natural Experiments, Impact on Creativity and School Achievement
- Obesity
- Obscenity
- Parasocial Interaction
- Peer Groups, Impact of Media on
- Physiological Arousal
- Television, Moral Messages in
- Media Use
- African Americans, Media Use by
- Asia, Media Use in
- Bedrooms, Media Use in
- Child-Centered vs. Media-Centered Perspectives
- China, Media Use in
- Cognitive Development, Media and
- Depression, Media Use and
- Developmental Differences, Media and
- Divided Attention, Parallel Processing and
- Electronic Media, Children's Use of
- Europe, Media Use in
- Gender, Media Use and
- Globalization, Media and
- Immigrants, Media Use by
- India, Media Use in
- Indigenous Media
- Individual Differences, Media Preferences and
- Information Processing, Active vs. Passive Models of
- Interactive Media
- Japan, Media in
- Latin America, Media Use in
- Latina/os, Media Use by
- Loneliness
- Media Celebrities
- Media Education, Political Socialization and
- Media Effects
- Media Effects, Maltreated Children and
- Media Entertainment
- Media Exposure
- Media Genre Preferences
- Media Journals
- Media, Future of
- Media, Meanings of
- Mood Management Theory
- Multitasking
- Native Americans, Media Use by
- Parasocial Interaction
- Peer Groups, Influences on Media Use of
- Peer Groups, Joint Use of Media in
- Physiological Arousal
- Selectivity
- Sensation Seeking
- Television, Moral Messages on
- Movies
- Adolescents, Movie Portrayals of
- Aggression, Movies and
- Cigarette Use in Television and Movies
- Disney
- Drug Use, Depictions of
- Horror Films
- Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA)
- Movie Viewing, Adolescents'
- Movie Viewing, Children's
- Movies, History of
- Movies, Perceived Realism of
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- Pornography, Movies
- Pornography, X-Rated Movies and
- Regulation, Movies
- Music
- Boy Bands
- Cigarette Use, Music Videos and
- Fan Cultures
- Gender Roles in Music
- Hip Hop, Ethnicity/Race in
- Hip Hop, Female Performers of
- Hip Hop, Masculinity in
- Hip Hop, Portrayals of Women in
- Hip Hop, Violence in
- Hip Hop, Youth Culture and
- Music Genres, Dance/House/Techno
- Music Genres, Heavy Metal
- Music Genres, Hip Hop
- Music Genres, History of
- Music Genres, Pop/Rock
- Music Listening, Age Effects on
- Music Listening, Gender Effects on
- Music Listening, Impact of
- Music Listening, Problem Behavior and
- Music Listening, Uses of
- Music Lyrics, Effects of
- Music Lyrics, Music Television and
- Music Videos, Amount of Viewing and
- Music Videos, Effects of
- Peer Groups, File Sharing Among
- Radio, History of
- Radio, International
- Radio, Listeners' Age and Use of
- Raves
- Regulation, Music
- Public Policy
- Advertising, Regulation of
- Anti-Drug Media Campaigns
- Children's Advertising Review Unit (CARU)
- Children's Internet Protection Act of 2000 (CIPA)
- Children's Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998 (COPPA)
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- Food and Beverage Advertising in Schools
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- Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA)
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- Regulation, Movies
- Regulation, Music
- Regulation, Radio
- Regulation, Television
- Relationship Marketing
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- Telecommunications Act of 1996
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- Research Methods
- Experience Sampling Method (ESM)
- Media Journals
- Natural Experiments, Impact on Community Activities
- Natural Experiments, Impact on Creativity and School Achievement
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- Research Methods, Children and
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- Violence, Experimental Studies of
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- Violence, Natural Experiments and
- Television
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- Cigarette Use in Television and Movies
- Commercial Television and Radio in Schools
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- Contraceptive Information, Television and
- Coviewing
- Daytime Talk Shows
- Disney
- Drug Use, Depictions of
- Educational Television, Effects of
- Educational Television, History of
- Educational Television, Programming in
- European Comparative Study
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- Family, Television Portrayals of
- Fantasy–Reality Distinction
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- Formal Features
- Gender Roles in Television Commercials
- Gender Roles on Television
- Imagination, Effects of Television on
- Language Learning, Television and
- Music Lyrics, Music Television and
- Music Videos, Amount of Viewing and
- Music Videos, Effects of
- National Television Violence Study
- News, Children's Exposure to
- News, Children's Responses to
- News, Portrayals of Children and Adolescents in
- Notel, Unitel, Multitel Study
- Profanity, Trends in
- Promotional Tie-Ins
- Reading, Impact of TV on
- Reality TV
- Regulation, Television
- Sesame Workshop
- Sex in Television, Content Analysis of
- Sex in Television, Incidence and Themes
- Sex in Television, Perceived Realism of
- Sitcoms
- Soap Operas, Content Analyses of
- Soap Operas, Effects of
- Soap Operas, Sexuality in
- Sports Television
- Surgeon General's Scientific Advisory Committee on Television and Social Behavior
- Talk Shows, Children and Adolescents
- Television morality and Identification with characters on
- Television Rating Systems
- Television Rating Systems, Parental Uses of
- Television Violence
- Television Violence, Susceptibility to
- Television, Addiction to
- Television, Attention and
- Television, History of Children's Programs on
- Television, International Viewing Patterns and
- Television, moral messages on
- Television, Motivations for Viewing of
- Television, Occupational Portrayals on
- Television, Prosocial Behavior and
- Television, Prosocial Content and
- Television, Viewer Age and
- TV-Turnoff Week
- V-Chip (Violence Chip)
- World Summits on Children and Television
- Theories
- Agenda Cutting
- Agenda Setting
- Appreciation Index
- Arousal Theories
- Catharsis Theory
- Child-Centered vs. Media-Centered Perspectives
- Cognitive Script Theory
- Cuing and Priming
- Cultivation Theory
- Desensitization Effects
- Displacement Effect
- Excitation-Transfer Theory
- Externalizing Behavior
- Forbidden Fruit Hypothesis
- Formal Features
- General Aggression Model (GAM)
- Information Processing, Active vs. Passive Models of
- Interactivity
- Intertextuality
- Mean World Syndrome
- Media Practice Model
- Message Interpretation Process Model
- Physiological Arousal
- Priming Theory
- Schema Theory
- Schemas/Scripts, Aggressive
- Schemas/Scripts, Gender
- Schemas/Scripts, Sexual
- Selective Exposure
- Selectivity
- Social Class
- Social Learning Theory/Social Cognitive Theory
- Socialization and Media
- Super-Peer Theory
- Third-Person Effect
- Uses and Gratifications Theory
- Violence and Aggression
- Adult Mediation of Violence Effects
- Aggression, Advertising and
- Aggression, Electronic Games and
- Aggression, Movies and
- Aggression, Music and
- Aggression, Music Videos and
- Aggression, Television and
- Cartoons, Violence in
- Desensitization Effects
- Electronic Games, Violence in
- Fear Reactions
- General Aggression Model (GAM)
- Hip Hop, Violence in
- Movies, Violence in
- Music, Impact of Violence in
- Schemas/Scripts, Aggressive
- Sexualized Violence
- Television Violence
- Television Violence, Susceptibility to
- UNESCO Violence Study
- V-Chip (Violence Chip)
- Violence, Desensitization Toward
- Violence, Effects of
- Violence, Experimental Studies of
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- Violence, Historical Trends and
- Violence, Industry Stance on
- Violence, Longitudinal Studies of
- Violence, Marketing and
- Violence, Meta-Analyses of
- Violence, Natural Experiments and
- World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE)
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