Expanding the Boundaries of Entertainment Research: An Epilogue

Abstract

As editors of this Special Issue, we think the articles contained herein have achieved our stated goal: They expand the boundaries surrounding the social-scientific study of media entertainment through substantive and novel contributions and by providing a road map for future investigations in this burgeoning field. The works collectively offer new insight into the functions and complex processes involved in the entertainment experience and help to develop research agendas that move the field well beyond its previous focus on pleasure and enjoyment. We hope that the reader agrees with this assessment. As a result, we conclude this project more energized than when we started (which is admittedly quite a feat). We are convinced that in the coming decades, entertainment psychology is poised to (continue to) offer the scientific community, academia as a whole, politicians and policy makers, parents, medical professionals and clinical psychologists, religious and spiritual leaders, and folks in all walks of life important and socially significant research. To make this come to pass, scholars must accept the challenge that we see as emanating from the articles: Take these ideas, build upon them, and keep expanding those boundaries. As a final word, we will attempt to do just that.