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The influence of a virtual companion on amusement when watching funny films

Hofmann, Jennifer, Platt, Tracey, Ruch, Willibald, Niewiadomski, Radoslaw and Urbain, Jérôme (2015) The influence of a virtual companion on amusement when watching funny films. Motivation and Emotion, 39 (3). pp. 434-447. ISSN 0146-7239

Item Type: Article

Abstract

We investigated the role of a virtual companion and trait cheerfulness on the elicitation of amusement. Ninety participants watched funny films in four conditions: either alone, with a virtual companion laughing or verbally expressing amusement at fixed time points (pre-scripted), or additionally joining the participant’s laughter (responsive companion). Amusement was assessed facially and vocally by coding Duchenne Displays and laughter vocalizations. Participants’ cheerful mood pre and post the film watching and positive experience were assessed. Results showed that high trait cheerful individuals generally experienced and expressed more amusement than low trait cheerful individuals. The presence of a virtual companion (compared to being alone) led to more laughter for individuals low in trait cheerfulness. Unexpectedly, the responsive companion did not elicit more amusement than the pre-scripted companion. The general disliking of virtual companions and gelotophobia related negatively to amusement. Amusement expressing virtual companions may be used in interventions aiming at eliciting positive responses, especially for individuals with higher thresholds for amusement.

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More Information

Depositing User: Barry Hall

Identifiers

Item ID: 10581
Identification Number: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11031-014-9461-y
ISSN: 0146-7239
URI: http://sure.sunderland.ac.uk/id/eprint/10581
Official URL: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11031-014-9461-y

Users with ORCIDS

ORCID for Tracey Platt: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0001-6628-7057

Catalogue record

Date Deposited: 20 Mar 2019 11:59
Last Modified: 05 Feb 2021 13:44

Contributors

Author: Tracey Platt ORCID iD
Author: Jennifer Hofmann
Author: Willibald Ruch
Author: Radoslaw Niewiadomski
Author: Jérôme Urbain

University Divisions

Faculty of Health Sciences and Wellbeing
Faculty of Health Sciences and Wellbeing > School of Psychology

Subjects

Psychology

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