ABSTRACT
Across nine different Experience Sampling Method studies, relative to other activities, when people are viewing television they report that they feel more passive, are less alert, and concentrate less than in almost any other activity. The main psychological reward reported is relaxation. Each of the commercial networks, local channels, and cable channels are frequently promotes and "teases" what is coming next. Combined with how easy it is to view and the relaxation and diversion that television provides, the frequent invitation to view more can encourage people to view longer than they had originally intended. Some researchers have focused on the self-perpetuating nature of television viewing, and one can see how such processes can be equated with passivity. Suddenly, viewer interpretation is no longer the sine qua non of viewer activity. In this instance, viewer activity is denoted only by the fact that the viewer has chosen to view.
