When Self-Image Takes A Blow, Many Turn To TV

Culture

from the TV-will-solve-all-our-problems dept

dsg wrote in with a link to a story about a study showing that people build up an image of themselves, and then tune out any indication that they don’t live up to that image by watching TV. The researchers showed that students who did bad on an intelligence test watched TV longer afterwards, and stayed more focused on it. They suggest that students who get information that doesn’t mesh with their self-image, use TV as a place to escape their feelings of inadequacy. The study also found that students felt less of a “challenge” to their self-image after watching TV.