Prosocial Media Research Articles

The Effects of Fantastical Characters and Prosocial Message Duration on Children’s Narrative, Emotional, and Moral Lesson Comprehension of a Cartoon

ABSTRACT The goal of the present study was to test how two design features common in young children’s prosocial media content, particularly inclusion lessons, affect children’s emotional, narrative, and moral lesson comprehension. Specifically, we tested if children’s comprehension differed based on whether characters were humans or dogs, and whether inclusion was modeled for approximately 80% of the show or 20% of the show. We also examined if experimental effects differed based on the type of comprehension measured. Using data collected from 98 children in the United States (ages 3–8 years), we found that, generally, children comprehended better when characters were humans, compared with dogs, and when inclusion was modeled for 80% of the show, relative to only 20% of the show, although these findings were less consistent. We also noted age effects where, in general, older children comprehended better than younger children, and were aided through the use of human characters. We discuss the practical implications of this work in terms of how to best design prosocial media to support children’s comprehension, as well as the theoretical implications in terms of thinking about children’s cognitive capacities and when to measure different forms of comprehension.

Toddlers and the Telly: A latent profile analysis of children’s television time and content and behavioral outcomes one year later in the U.S.

ABSTRACT Despite the ubiquity of tablets and smartphones, television remains the most frequently used screen media consumed by young children. However, it is likely that variability exists in how young children use media; for example, while some may view small amounts of aggressive content, others may view many hours each day of aggressive and prosocial media content. It is possible that differences in toddler television time and content also impact behavioral outcomes. The aims of this study were two-fold; first, we examined profiles of children’s time spent watching television and media content viewed. Second, we examined longitudinal relations between media use profiles and outcomes including aggression, prosocial behavior, and problematic media use. Results suggested a three-profile solution of children’s television time and content, including “Low TV content,” “High child-centered content,” and “High aggressive content” profiles. The “High aggressive content” group experienced higher levels of problematic media use and aggressive behavior one year later compared to other classes. The discussion focuses on implications of these findings. We urge parents to become aware of both television time and media content as they may relate to problematic media use behaviors in young children.

Research on prosocial screen and immersive media effects: a systematic literature review

ABSTRACT The goal of this study is to offer an overview of the trends that characterize the current research on prosocial media effects. To this end, we conducted a systematic literature review. The period reviewed was from 2017 to 2021. It found four general trends: The first one is related to research on prosocial children´s media. The second deals with the examination of the effects of mixing prosocial and violent content and practices in the same media text. The third reflects the importance of exploring what happens during media use in relation to user behaviors above all in multiplayer video games social dynamics. Finally, the fourth trend found is related to the exploration of the possibilities opened up by immersive media.

Will exposure to different consequences of prosocial behavior always lead to subsequent prosocial behavior among adolescents: An experimental study of short videos.

The relationship between exposure to prosocial media content and prosocial behavior has been extensively explored. However, previous studies mainly explore the effect of prosocial media content exposure by comparing an individual’s exposure to the different types of content (i.e., prosocial content or neutral content), and generally focus on traditional media and video games, with less attention given to the increasingly popular new media platforms. In this study, we explored new dimensions by considering individuals’ exposure to different consequences of the same prosocial behavior (i.e., reward, punishment, or no consequences) in the context of short videos. Drawing upon Social Cognitive Theory and the General Learning Model, this experimental study identified the effect of such exposure on subsequent prosocial behavior among adolescents. We found that compared to the no consequences group, exposure to the reward consequence did not significantly predict moral elevation and subsequent prosocial behavior. Meanwhile, exposure to the punishment consequence had a significantly negative effect on subsequent prosocial behavior via moral elevation. Furthermore, the results revealed that empathy moderated the relationship between moral elevation and prosocial behavior, and moral elevation only positively predicted prosocial behavior among those with low empathy. Theoretically, this study deepens our understanding of the impact of exposure to different consequences of prosocial behavior on adolescents’ subsequent prosocial behavior, and highlights the importance of moral elevation and empathy to understand the underlying mechanism. The study also provides some practical implications for parents and practitioners to nurture prosocial behavior among adolescents.

Infants’ physiological responses to emotionally salient media with links to parent and child, empathy, prosocial behaviors and media use

Infants engage in prosocial behaviors from very young ages and their prosocial behavior is clearly present by the second year of life. Physiological regulation has been related to infants' emerging prosocial behavior, with infants with better regulatory skills displaying increased prosocial behavior. Media use and media content has also been related to infants emerging prosocial behavior. The current study examined individual differences in infants' vagal regulation (as physiological marker of regulatory skills, N = 269) while engaging with emotionally salient media and how individual differences in vagal regulation were related to parental and child empathy, prosocial behavior, and media use. The study included parent-infant dyads co-viewing a brief educational but emotionally salient video clip, an observational prosocial sticker and sharing tasks, and parental reports of infants' prosocial media use, empathy, and parents' own prosocial media use, prosocial behavior, and empathy. Most infants displayed an increase in RSA while co-viewing the media clip relative to a neutral baseline. Infants with higher RSA (a sign of better regulation) during co-viewing displayed more prosocial behavior in the sticker and pen drop tasks, were rated as more empathic, and had primary caregivers who engaged with more prosocial media than infants who showed a decrease in RSA (e.g., more immature regulatory skills) during co-viewing. Results suggest the importance of vagal regulation in the presence of others' emotions for infants emerging prosocial behavior. Results also suggest that parents' own prosocial media viewing may indirectly influence on the way infants' respond physiologically to others’ emotions.

Reading prosocial content in books and adolescents' prosocial behavior: A moderated mediation model with evidence from China.

Drawing upon the General Learning Model, the present study developed a moderated mediation model to provide an in-depth understanding of whether and how adolescents’ reading prosocial content in books predicts their prosocial behavior. The target population in this study is Chinese adolescents, and we adopted a paper-based survey to collect data (N = 602). The age range of the sample was from 12 to 19 (M = 15.198, SD = 1.596). Among all participants, 49.3% were female, and 50.7% were male. PROCESS SPSS Macro was used to analyze the proposed moderated mediation model. The results showed that prosocial content reading was positively associated with adolescents’ prosocial behavior. The positive association included a direct relationship and an indirect relationship through the mediation of moral identity. Furthermore, this study revealed the moderation effect of age on the relationships among prosocial content reading, moral identity, and prosocial behavior. Specifically, as age increases, the effects of prosocial content reading on moral identity and prosocial behavior attenuate, and the mediation effect of moral identity also decreases. The study adds to the body of knowledge on the prosocial media effect by extending it to book reading.

Factors affecting misinformation combating intention in Pakistan during COVID-19

PurposeMisinformation on social media has become a great threat across the globe. Therefore, the authors aim to provide a comprehensive understanding of social media users' misinformation combating behavior, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, the authors merged the uses and gratifications theory, social cognitive theory and theory of prosocial behavior into one theoretical framework (e.g. information seeking, status seeking, entertainment and norms of reciprocity) to understand their effect on users' prosocial media sharing experience and misinformation self-efficacy to combat misinformation.Design/methodology/approachThe authors collected data from 356 social media users through “Google Forms” during the third wave of coronavirus in Pakistan. Further, the authors applied structural equation modeling for hypotheses testing.FindingsThe authors noted that entertainment and perceived norms of reciprocity positively affect social media users' prior experience and misinformation self-efficacy to enhance their misinformation combating intention. However, information seeking positively affects social media users' prior experience and insignificantly affects their misinformation self-efficacy. Similarly, status seeking was noted to be insignificantly associated with social media users' prior experience and misinformation self-efficacy.Research limitations/implicationsThe authors tested this model of misinformation combating intention in a developing country during the COVID-19 pandemic and noted that entertainment and status seeking motives are context-specific. Therefore, this study may likely benefit researchers, academicians and policymakers to understand the causal relationship between motivations and the behavior of combating misinformation on social media within a developing country.Originality/valueIn this study the authors merged three theories (e.g. uses and gratifications theory, social cognitive theory and theory of prosocial behavior) to understand information seeking, status seeking, entertainment and norms of reciprocity as the main motives for social media users' misinformation combating intention.

PROSOCIAL MEDIA RESOURCE: PROJECT-EDUCATIONAL INTENSIVE OF STUDENTS

Relevance. The relevance of the topic comes from its various aspects and manifestations of behavior aimed at helping other people and society, including using the digital environment. The article discusses the technology of students’ project activities for the creation of prosocial media. The experience of prosocial design on the platform of the University 20.35 is presented.
 The purpose of the study. Based on the study of the attitude of young people to media resources promoting assistance to other people and society, to develop and implement educational intensive technology to create by students prosocial media.
 Methods and methodology. The methodological basis of the study was the approaches of media education. Methods: data selection and systematization, document analysis, Internet media monitoring, quantitative analysis of publications in youth Internet media, design. Empirical data are comprehended and processed using content analysis, quantitative analysis methods (descriptive statistics, percentage analysis. The calculations were made on the basis of the SPPS 22 statistical software package.
 Results. The preferences of young people in the choice of forms of presentation of prosocial topics in the media space are revealed, their reactions to prosocial posts, blogs, videos, publications are studied, the structure of the projected prosocial media environment is determined. An educational intensive technology has been implemented to create a test prototype for the prosocial media “Let’s make the world a better place!”.
 Conclusion. Based on the results of the study of the attitude of young people to prosocial media, a technology for teaching the design of prosocial media was developed and implemented, which allowed students to form attitudes to prosocial activity.
 The scope of the results. The results of the study should be taken into account when developing programs and projects aimed at ensuring the digital socialization of young people.

Potential Moderator between Violent Video Games, Prosocial Media Violence and Aggressive Behaviours: Systematic Literature Review

As media popularizes, it poses varied effects on well-being. Gaming and watching superhero movies especially with violent content are designed to simulate real-life violence. Hence, this exposes children to online harm, which can negatively impact their well-being and safety. Unfortunately, previous researches have yet to provide evidence of potential moderators between violent video games, prosocial media violence and aggressive behaviours. The current study attempts to present a systematic review of all the relevant literature to fulfil the gap in the existing research. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) was used to review the current research on major journal databases, mainly Google Scholar, Scopus, Science Direct, Sage Pub and Springer. The study resulted in a total of 10 articles that can be analysed systematically. Most importantly, the review managed to identify significant moderators between violent video games, prosocial violent media and aggressive behaviours. As a result, thematic analyses formulated two categories known as Intrinsic Moderators (InM) and Extrinsic Moderators (ExM). Hence, a few recommendations and suggestions were shared at the end of this research for references of future scholars.

Does emotional media content increase donations for rejected groups?

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to analyze the effect of exposure to prosocial media content (PMC) on the subsequent intention to donate to a prosocial cause of a rejected group versus a prosocial cause of a neutral group. The hypothesis, supported in two experimental studies, is that for the individual exposed to a PMC, the difference in the donations for social causes of a rejected group and a neutral group is smaller than for the individual exposed to a non-PMC.Design/methodology/approachTwo between-subjects experimental studies were performed. In both studies, the individual’s emotional responses were manipulated through PMC (conditions: prosocial versus non-prosocial). Then, respondents were asked to split a fixed amount of money between two social actions whose beneficiaries were members of a rejected group versus members of a neutral group.FindingsIt was found that the difference in donation between the two actions associated with different types of beneficiaries (i.e. rejected group vs neutral group) was smaller for the individuals exposed to PMC than for individuals exposed to non-PMC.Research limitations/implicationsIn this research, the donating behavior was operationalized by a simulated donation and not by a real donation.Practical implicationsResults suggest that PMC on the internet could be effective in reducing rejection for stigmatized dissociation groups for which it is difficult to get help.Social implicationsThe results suggest that exposure to PMC on the internet can increase donations for rejected groups. The confirmation of the PMC effect on reducing negative outcomes opens the possibility to diminish negativity toward stigmatized groups.Originality/valueTheoretically, the explanations are based on the social comparison theory.

Practicing entertainment for social change in the United States: comparing the influences of U.S.-based documentary storytelling and print campaign resources in a univision prosocial media campaign

ABSTRACT In the United States, Hispanic children experience dramatically different educational outcomes compared to other racial and ethnic groups. Educational disparities begin at the earliest phases of formal education; left unaddressed, challenges can persist. To address this, Univision, the most-watched Spanish-language network in the United States, launched Camino al Éxito (Road to Success), a multimedia prosocial storytelling campaign designed to reach parents with helpful messages about key risk transitions through the K-12 education life cycle. Following narrative engagement theory, this study sought to understand the role of narrative-based information utilized in this entertainment-based prosocial campaign by examining U.S. Hispanic parents’ (N = 153) responses to a short TV documentary and a printed campaign resource document. Those exposed to the documentary showed significantly higher posttest mean levels of knowledge than the print condition. Results suggest that documentary storytelling can be effectively employed in prosocial entertainment media campaigns for social change.

Psychological perception by students of prosocial media

Psychological perception by students of prosocial media

The links between religiousness and prosocial behaviors in early adulthood: The mediating roles of media exposure preferences and empathic tendencies

ABSTRACT We examined the links among religiousness, prosocial and violent media exposure preferences, empathic tendencies, and prosocial behaviors in early adulthood. Participants were U.S. college students (N = 324; M age = 19.5 years; 79.6% Women). While young adults’ religiousness was not associated with prosocial media exposure preferences, it was negatively related to violent movie and Internet exposure preferences. In turn, violent movie exposure preference was negatively related to prosocial behaviors through perspective taking and empathic concern. Prosocial movie exposure preference was positively linked to prosocial behaviors. Moreover, religiousness was related to young adults’ prosocial behavior via empathic concern. Discussion focuses on religiousness, media exposure preferences, and empathic tendencies in understanding young adults’ prosocial behaviors.

Parental media monitoring, prosocial violent media exposure, and adolescents' prosocial and aggressive behaviors.

Prosocial violent media (e.g., media that combines both violent and prosocial content) is especially popular in entertainment media today. However, it remains unclear how parental media monitoring is associated with exposure to prosocial violent content and adolescent behavior. Accordingly, 1,193 adolescents were asked about parental media monitoring, media content exposure, and behavior. Main findings suggest that autonomy supportive restrictive monitoring was associated with lower levels of exposure to prosocial violent content, but only among older adolescents. Additionally, autonomy supportive restrictive monitoring was the only form of parental media monitoring associated with lower levels of violent content and higher levels of prosocial content, and autonomy supportive active monitoring was the only parental monitoring strategy that promoted prosocial behavior via exposure to prosocial media content. Discussion focuses on the importance of autonomy supportive parental monitoring, as well as the implications of parents encouraging their children to watch media with limited violent content-even if it is prosocial violent content.

Zaštita dječjih prava u humanitarnim akcijama s osvrtom na afričke zemlje

Rad se bavi ulogom medija u društvu te važnošću profesionalnoga izvještavanja i odgoja za medije, posebice u kontekstu djece i zaštite dječjih prava. Humanitarne akcije namijenjene djeci česta su tema u medijima, no paradoks je da su djeca i njihove potrebe, kao i njihova prava, posebice parvo na privatnost i izražavanje mišljenja, marginalizirani. Na javnost se često apelira putem medija kroz humanitarne akcije te se izazivanjem snažnih i krajnjih emocija potiče na pomoć. Nerijetko je baš u takvim slučajevima dijete kao glavni subjekt humanitarne akcije ogoljeno te je njegova intima dostupna svima, često pod argumentom da je sve što je u interesu javnosti opravdano. Cilj je rada, pregledom dosadašnjih spoznaja, ukazati na važnost zaštite djece kao najosjetljivije skupine društva i dječjih prava u prosocijalnim sadržajima kao što su humanitarne akcije. Rad će dati i pregled stanja prikazivanja humanitarnih akcija za pomoć djeci u afričkim zemljama.

The Longitudinal Impact of Screen Time on Adolescent Development: Moderation by Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia

PurposeTo date, little is known about underlying psychophysiological contributions to the impact of media content and overall screen time on adolescent psychological functioning. In the present study we examine respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) as a moderator of the link between specific types of media content use, overall media exposure, and the development of internalizing and aggressive symptoms in youth. MethodsA sample of 374 adolescents (mean age = 15) reported on their media use, internalizing behavior, and aggressive behavior at time 1 (2011) and 1-year follow-up (2012). RSA reactivity was gathered during a challenging laboratory task. Path analyses were conducted to test the hypothesized three-way interaction model between media use, media content, and RSA reactivity, separately for internalizing and aggressive problems. ResultsSignificant interactions were found for aggressive, but not prosocial, media content. For aggressive content, youth exhibiting RSA withdrawal reported significantly greater internalizing and aggressive symptoms when exposed to higher amounts of screen time and aggressive content. ConclusionsThese findings suggest that profiles of heightened RSA withdrawal may place adolescents at greater risk to the negative impact of violent media, whereas prosocial media content may not significantly impact youth development of psychopathology. Implications for the role of psychophysiology in our understanding of media effects are discussed.

Managing Positive and Negative Media Effects Among Adolescents: Parental Mediation Matters—But not Always

ABSTRACTThe current study examined the role of parental media mediation styles in the relationships between (1) prosocial media content and the performance of prosocial behavior and (2) antisocial media content and the performance of antisocial behavior. The results of a cross-sectional survey (N = 475; Mage = 14.6) indicated that autonomy-supportive restrictive mediation was positively related to prosocial behavior through increased prosocial media exposure, while it was also associated with less antisocial behavior through decreased antisocial media content exposure. Autonomy-supportive active mediation on the other hand strengthened the positive association between exposure to prosocial media content and the performance of prosocial behavior. However, this type of mediation did not moderate the association between exposure to antisocial media content and the performance of antisocial behavior. These results indicate that autonomy-supportive mediation styles are most effective in managing media effects, but that antisocial media content may warrant a more restrictive approach.

Children of the Revolution: Looking Towards a Future of Altruistic and Prosocial Media

The first generation of social media natives, those who grew up with smartphones and social media, are now coming of age. It may not be incidental that questions probing the broader, weightier, possibly detrimental implications of social media, are beginning to be asked—not just by academics, not just by the public at large, but even by the architects of the phenomenon themselves. New mediums—TV, radio, the Internet—have generally taken approximately a decade from wide-spread availability to mass adoption for the full breadth of their influence, for better or for worse, to come to fruition. We are now at that juncture with social media. This research intends to examine this phenomenon and the disruptions currently taking place, how social media natives fit into this narrative, and what a path towards a more prosocial media might look like. Keeping in mind social media was originally intended to simply digitize social connections, communities and communications, not incite policy change, sway elections, or topple regimes, this research will examine the potential of a technology designed for the former to facilitate the latter, as well as social capital and bonding. Ultimately, this research aims to frame the entry of social media natives into the adult world as part of a paradigm shift and envision how social media with a more intentional, built-in functionality to facilitate altruistic and prosocial actions, in a more tangible fashion, as well as mitigating its capacity to foment malice, might operate.

A meta-analysis of prosocial media on prosocial behavior, aggression, and empathic concern: A multidimensional approach.

Studies examining the effects of exposure to prosocial media on positive outcomes are increasing in number and strength. However, existing meta-analyses use a broad definition of prosocial media that does not recognize the multidimensionality of prosocial behavior. The aim of the current study is to conduct a meta-analysis on the effects of exposure to prosocial media on prosocial behavior, aggression, and empathic concern while examining multiple moderators that the prosocial behavior literature suggests are important to our understanding of why individuals voluntarily help others (e.g., target, type, cost). Results from 72 studies involving 243 effect sizes revealed that exposure to prosocial media was related to higher levels of prosocial behavior and empathic concern and lower levels of aggressive behavior. Moderation analyses suggest that several moderators accounted for heterogeneity in the model, including age of participant, region, media type (active vs. passive), and study design. In terms of multidimensional moderators, prosocial media had stronger effects on prosocial behavior toward strangers than did any other target and on helping and prosocial thinking but not donating or volunteering. Comparisons with other meta-analyses on media effects are made and implications for parents, media producers, and researchers are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record

Letters from Equestria: Prosocial Media, Helping, and Empathy in Fans of “My Little Pony”

Letters from Equestria: Prosocial Media, Helping, and Empathy in Fans of “My Little Pony”