Entertainment as a Creature Comfort: Self-Control and Selection of Challenging Media

Figures & data

Table 1. Comparison of subjective ratings of open-ended film choice made by participants in depletion vs. control condition

	Depletion		Control
Selected film is….	M	SD	M	SD	|t|(df)	dCohen
Cognitively challenging	2.21	1.14	4.37	1.92	9.42(169.89)**	1.33
Affectively challenging	3.29	1.63	4.59	1.52	5.50(177)**	0.83
Should	2.92	1.83	4.11	1.78	4.35(175)**	0.66
Want	5.68	1.27	5.39	1.42	1.44(177)	0.22
Strength of preference	4.04	0.82	4.11	0.71	0.58(177)	0.09
Fun	6.26	0.69	6.08	0.67	1.75(177)^+	0.27
Moving	3.30	1.27	4.68	1.18	7.49(177)**	1.14
Suspense	4.36	1.48	5.41	1.03	8.73(177)**	1.33
Lasting impression	3.03	1.44	4.83	1.30	5.33(126.44)**	0.85

Note: **p < .01, *p < .05, ⁺p < .10. All applied measures were based on 7-point scales, except for the “strength of preference” measure that was based on a 5-point scale. A MANOVA testing H1a/b/c/d simultaneously was conducted with cognitive challenge, affective challenge, should, and want as dependent variables and condition as independent variable, Hostelling’s Trace Λ_LH = .463, F(4, 172) = 19.89, p < .001, η_p² = .32. A MANOVA testing H2a/b/c/d simultaneously was conducted with fun, moving, suspense, and lasting impression as dependent variables and condition as independent variable, Hostelling’s Trace Λ_LH = .512, F(4, 174) = 22.28, p < .001, η_p² = .34.

Table 2. Comparison of subjective ratings of most preferred and least preferred films selected from 24 presented film choices by participants in depletion vs. control condition

	Most preferred film						Least preferred film
	Depletion		Control				Depletion		Control
Selected film is….	M	SD	M	SD	|t|(df)	dCohen	M	SD	M	SD	|t|(df)	dCohen
Cognitively challenging	2.17	1.24	4.35	1.75	9.75(177)**	1.41	3.91	1.83	2.83	1.68	4.10(177)**	0.62
Affectively challenging	3.17	1.69	4.81	1.52	6.79(177)**	1.04	4.96	1.86	3.85	1.99	3.78(177)**	0.58
Should	2.78	1.80	4.47	1.70	6.42(177)**	0.98	3.32	1.75	2.70	1.58	2.47(176)*	0.38
Want	5.33	1.66	5.28	1.46	0.20(177)	0.03	2.84	1.68	2.69	1.66	0.61(177)	0.09
Enjoyment	5.68	0.93	5.67	0.98	0.10(177)	0.01	2.37	1.30	2.43	1.40	0.29(177)	0.04

Note: **p < .01, *p < .05, ⁺p < .10. All applied measures were based on 7-point scales. A MANOVA testing H1a/b/c/d simultaneously for most preferred film was conducted with cognitive challenge, affective challenge, should, and want as dependent variables and condition as independent variable, Hostelling’s Trace Λ_LH = .581, F(4, 174) = 25.27, p < .001, η_p² = .37. A MANOVA testing H1a/b/c/d simultaneously for least preferred film was conducted with cognitive challenge, affective challenge, should, and want as dependent variables and condition as independent variable, Hostelling’s Trace Λ_LH = .111, F(4, 173) = 4.80, p < .01, η_p² = .10.

Figure 1. Average preference (i.e., anticipated likelihood) of watching cognitively non-challenging vs. challenging films among participants in depletion vs. control scenario.

Note. Brackets indicate 95% CI around the means.

Figure 2. Average preference (i.e., anticipated likelihood) of watching affectively non-challenging vs. challenging films among participants in depletion vs. control scenario.

Note. Brackets indicate 95% CI around the means.

Figure 3. Average preference (i.e., anticipated likelihood) of watching “want films” vs. “should films” among participants in depletion vs. control scenario.

Note. Brackets indicate 95% CI around the means.