ABSTRACT
The extensive use of media in our daily lives begs the question of whether or not we are doing ourselves a favor with so much time spent with screen pixels, electronic tunes, and printed paper. For example, the average American spent 2.8 hours per day on television use in 2013 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2014). Abundant concerns about negative media impacts on health and well-being have been voiced – for example, that media exposure causes violence, fear, obesity, and sexual callousness (Anderson & Bushman, 2001; Brown, 2002; Gerbner, Gross, Morgan, Signorielli, & Shanahan, 2002; Jordan, Kramer-Golinko, & Strasburger, 2008), to name just a few. But could this “dark side” of media exposure have a positive ipside?
