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Television Viewing, Satisfaction and Happiness: Facts and Fiction

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Author Info
Marco Gui
Luca Stanca ()

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Abstract

Despite the increasing consumption of new media, watching television remains the most important leisure activity worldwide. Research on audience reactions has demostrated that there are major contradictions between television consumption and the satisfaction obtained from this activity. Similar findings have also emerged in the relationship between TV consumption and overall well-being. This paper argues that television viewing can provide a major example where consumption choices do not maximize satisfaction. We review the evidence on the welfare effects of TV consumption choices, focusing on two complementary dimensions: consumption satisfaction and overall well-being Within each of these two dimensions, we consider both absolute and relative over-consumption, referring to quantity and content of television viewing, respectively. We find that research in different social sciences provides evidence of overconsumption in television viewing. The relevance of these findings for consumption of new media is discussed in the conclusions.

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File URL: http://dipeco.economia.unimib.it/repec/pdf/mibwpaper167.pdf
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File Function: First version, 2009
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Publisher Info
Paper provided by University of Milano-Bicocca, Department of Economics in its series Working Papers with number 167.

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Length: 28 pages
Date of creation: Jul 2009
Date of revision: Jul 2009
Handle: RePEc:mib:wpaper:167

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Related research
Keywords: satisfaction; rationality; media consumption; television;

Find related papers by JEL classification:
D12 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Consumer Economics: Empirical Analysis
D91 - Microeconomics - - Intertemporal Choice and Growth - - - Intertemporal Consumer Choice; Life Cycle Models and Saving
I31 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare and Poverty - - - General Welfare
J22 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Time Allocation and Labor Supply

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References listed on IDEAS
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    Other versions:
  4. Luigino Bruni & Luca Stanca, 2006. "Income Aspirations, Television and Happiness: Evidence from the World Values Survey," Kyklos, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 59(2), pages 209-225, 05. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
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  6. Shane Frederick & George Loewenstein & Ted O'Donoghue, 2002. "Time Discounting and Time Preference: A Critical Review," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 40(2), pages 351-401, June.
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  10. Richins, Marsha L. & Rudmin, Floyd W., 1994. "Materialism and economic psychology," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 15(2), pages 217-231, June. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  12. Frey, Bruno S. & Benesch, Christine & Stutzer, Alois, 2007. "Does watching TV make us happy?," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 28(3), pages 283-313, June. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  13. Becker, Gary S & Murphy, Kevin M, 1988. "A Theory of Rational Addiction," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 96(4), pages 675-700, August. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
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