Fantasy Activity and the Televiewing Event: Considerations for An Information Processing Construct of Involvement

Abstract

There have been few theoretical or empirical investigations of ongoing television viewing involvement, due primarily to methodological difficulties as well as the research agenda prevailing in mass communication. A processural construct of televiewing, based on cognitive theories of fantasy activity, is proposed. Relevant aspects of the fantasy process include its nonvolitional and effortless nature; the lack of evaluative operations; and the adaptive character of its content. Normative television usage facilitates the potentiation of responses analagous to self-generated fantasy. Acceptance of the construct places logical limits on the value of the “perceived reality” approach to assessing viewers' responses.