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Cited by 20Media Influence and HealthMedia and Digital CommunicationCommunication and COVID-19 Impact

Media marathoning through health struggles: filling a social reservoir.

Perks, Lisa G.·2019·Journal of Communication Inquiry
DOI 10.1177/0196859918814826
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Abstract

This essay uses grounded theory to analyze interviews with a dozen people who media marathoned while going through a health struggle. Three prominent relationship-focused themes emerged from the analysis: (1) Interviewees experienced “parasocial encouragement,” drawing inspiration from characters’ perseverance; (2) interviewees often marathoned stories recommended by family or friends, which led to conversations about the stories; and (3) interviewees struggling with depression or anxiety were able to learn more about human relationships through media and to use media engagement experiences as springboards for communication. In sum, through the cultivation of social support and social capital, media marathoning experiences helped study participants buildup and draw from a meaningful social reservoir in their time of enhanced need for connection. The social reservoir metaphor captures media marathoning’s embeddedness in a rich social environment of real and fictive others, with relationships that can both precede and live on beyond the media engagement experience.

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Crossref · 10.1177/0196859918814826

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Authors
Perks, L. G.
Affiliations
Merrimack College (US)
Corresponding author
Perks, Lisa G.
ORCID
Perks, Lisa G.
Venue
Journal of Communication Inquiry
Publisher
SAGE Publications
Published
2018-11-27
Volume
43
Issue
3
Pages
313-332
ISSN
  • 0196-8599 (ISSN-L)
  • 1552-4612
DOI
10.1177/0196859918814826
OpenAlex
W2902681013
Cited by
20
References
35
Citations by year
2025: 10 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 1
FWCI
8.65
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
journals.sagepub.com/page/policies/text-and-data-mining-license (tdm)
Locations
Journal of Communication Inquiry (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Literature and Literary Theory › Media Influence and Health
  • Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Computer Networks and Communications › Media and Digital Communication
  • Social Sciences › Communication › Communication and COVID-19 Impact
Keywords
health problems, social support, social capital, depression, anxiety, interpersonal relationships, media engagement, fictional characters

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