Chapter 7 Fantasy and Imagination

Fantasy Fantasy or daydreaming is a state of consciousness characterized by a shift of attention away from an ongoing physical or mental task or from a perceptual response to some internal stimulus Includes daydreaming, internal dialogue, mindwandering It is free-flowing

Imagination Imagination is a form of human thought characterized by the ability of the individual to reproduce images or concepts originally derived from the basic senses but now reflected in one’s consciousness It is goal-directed For example, when we read a book we try to visualize the character described by the author

The need for fantasy and imagination From childhood we engage in the construction of mental representations of our experiences Once these representations are stored in the brain, they may be retrieved in rational thinking Also, these representations can reappear in imaginative activities whey they may provide a rich source for self-entertainment

Fantasy and Imagination before exposure to entertainment A. escapism hypothesis: exposure to media entertainment is simulated by an overproduction –1. thought-blocking: those suffering from unpleasant fantasies watch more entertainment in order to drive away these unpleasant thoughts –2. boredom-avoidance: people with poor attention control are easily bored and distracted

B. Thematic correspondence hypothesis: the themes people fantasize about directly influence the type of entertainment they prefer –E.g. people with aggressive fantasies pick violent entertainment C. Thematic compensation hypothesis: people select entertainment themes that reflect those types of fantasies they can’t produce themselves –E.g. people who are not heroes in their own lives use entertainment to compensate –However, little research to support this hypothesis

The role of fantasy and imagination during exposure to entertainment Most traditional theories assume the emotions can only be evoked by stimuli and events that seem real However, we can experience strong emotional involvement with a novel or a movie Thus, there is and “aesthetic” or “imagined emotion” because viewers or readers regard the events in films/novels as true events in an imaginary world This is the theory Gerrig that we accept everything as real and then judge it in the context (of an ongoing real event or fiction)

Fictional Entertainment and role of imagination Immersion: the feeling of being lost in a book or “transported” away into the story –In film theory it is known as “diegetic effect” and in other research it is known as “presence” –Gerrig’s types of participatory responses ‘as if’ responses..immediate responses of viewer to a scene in a movie …what just happened and why Problem-solving; trying to predict what will happen Empathy: imagination is a necessary condition for empathetic responses to fictional characters –The viewer’s cognitive representation of the thoughts and emotions of the characters Parasocial interaction:this is when people fantasize that they are involved with a celebrity –Individuals imagine talking to or interacting with media characters

Role of fantasy and imagination after exposure to entertainment Stimulation hypothesis: media entertainment influences people’s fantasy and imagination through content. There is some research that confirms fantasies being simulated by entertainment but NOT for the imagination

Reduction hypothesis: that there is a reduction or negative effect of entertainment on fantasy or imagination No evidence for this Visualization hypothesis: suggests that ready-made visual images hinder the ability of viewer to form his or her own No evidence for this either No evidence for rapid-pacing hypothesis: rapid pace of entertainment allows viewers little time to process information and reflect No evidence for passivity hypothesis: that television requires little mental effort

Overall, entertainment can stimulate fantasy Future research needed to see how and why imagination and fantasy may affect the entertainment experience and vice versa.