Media Enjoyment: A Synthesis

ABSTRACT The concept of media enjoyment has both delighted and frustrated entertainment scholars for several decades. Although a rich body of research highlights how media experiences can entertain, amuse, and enlighten audiences, the scholarship is conceptually, theoretically, and methodologically fragmented. In this synthesis paper, we first tackle conceptual issues, reviewing prior research that has both supported and challenged a hedonic approach to enjoyment. We then argue the enjoyment-as-attitude approach best explains the processes through which audiences experience enjoyment. We conclude by addressing definitional, methodological, and other implications for this approach. Areas for future research are also discussed.