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Activity C : Exploring Para-Social Relationships

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Interview #1

Roomate : Josh Woodfork

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Interview #2

Roommate : Tony Scannelli

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Rubin’s Typology Explained:

After analyzing "An examination of television viewing motivations":

  • Rubin's typology is a framework for categorizing the different motivations that people have for watching television.
  • The typology is based on a survey of over 600 viewers, which asked them to rate how important various reasons were for their television viewing.
  • The typology consists of four main categories or clusters of motivations, which are:

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Motivations

  1. Entertainment: This cluster includes motivations related to enjoyment, relaxation, and escape. Examples of motivations in this cluster include "to unwind after a busy day" and "to forget my problems for a while."
  2. Social Interaction: motivations related to: bonding with others, discussing television shows with friends and family, and feeling connected to a larger community.
  3. Information: This cluster includes motivations related to learning, staying informed, and keeping up with current events. Examples of motivations in this cluster include "to learn about the world around me" and "to keep up with the news."
  4. Habit: This cluster includes motivations related to routine and habit, rather than a specific desire for entertainment, information, or social interaction. Examples of motivations in this cluster include "to have something to do during downtime" and "because it's something I always do."

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Lastly…

Rubin notes that the motivations people have for watching television can vary depending on factors such as age, gender, social class, and cultural background.

The typology has been influential in the field of media studies and has been used to understand not only television viewing motivations but also motivations for other types of media consumption, such as video games and social media.

As for my experiences with parasocial relationships: I feel like Goku from Dragon Ball Z would be one that I’ve held for a long time. His work ethic, motivation, and charisma are attributes that I admire within his character

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References

Rubin, A. M. (1981). “An examination of television viewing motivations.” Communication Research, vol. 8 pp. 141-165.